


Devil's Advocate

by Nunchi_Writes



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Attempted Kidnapping, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, I swear it isn't as bad as the tags make it seem, Implied/Referenced Torture, Injury, Kidnapping, Kinda?, Stockholm Syndrome, Swearing, The Reader is an angel, Torture, Vampires, Violence, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-21 14:19:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 80,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17045306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nunchi_Writes/pseuds/Nunchi_Writes
Summary: “Ever since the moment she fell from the sky, that angel has belonged to me, and I always take what is mine.”[ Vampire!Park Chanyeol x Angel!Reader ]





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language, sexual situations/sexual tension, mentions of abuse, possible triggers

The thunder and pelting rain drowned out every other noise, and emphasized the menacing black storm clouds that engulfed you as you continued to plummet to your untimely demise below. The empty pit in your stomach grew larger and larger with every second that you continued to free fall down to the foreign entity below you. Your arms grasped uselessly at the open sky surrounding you in a futile attempt to gain balance. The harsh strike of lightning was accompanied by the contorted flapping of your dead, birdlike wings, feathers being twisted by the wind. At most you had thirty seconds before you would be reduced to an undignified pile of blood and feathers on the earthen floor below you. 

  
  
_I’m going to die like this._

  
  
Tears combined with the relentless onslaught of rain to blind your vision. Your lungs began to fight for air as the chemicals in your brain were released to instill a fight for survival. The suffocation of panic quickly overcame your consciousness, and a shroud of darkness enveloped your mind as the world below you began to close the distance. 

 

* * *

 

“I told you I don’t play games" 

  
  
The grip around the man’s throat tightened as his attacker threatened him, baring his thin, sharp canines that identified him as a latent monster.

  
  
"I- I said I wasn’t lying. I- I swear,” the hostage choked out, clawing at his assaulter’s wrists in a feeble attempt to relieve the pressure against his throat.

  
  
“You willingly came here, among the den of vampires, risking your life to tell me a shitty, useless piece of information like that and expect me to believe it?” The inhuman eyes narrowed as the attacker raised the man against the wall, his shorter legs kicking in desperation.

  
  
“I- s-saw her with my own eyes” the man strained his voice as he wheezed for air.

  
  
“Too bad for you I don’t believe something until I see it for myself.” His grip tightened in an attempt to fatally suffocate his victim, but seconds before the oxygen was cut off entirely, a panicked knock came at the metal door sealing off the abandoned, empty room.

  
  
The grip around the victim’s neck released as the taller man sighed disappointedly and ruffled his neon crimson hair.

  
  
“What in God’s name is it now?” The man turned away from the gasping heap on the ground as he walked to the door, “I thought I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed unless the place is on fire or money is falling from the sky." 

  
  
"About that sir,” the recipient on the other side of the door croaked nervously. The red-haired man swung the iron door open as the henchman continued.

  
  
“we’ve found her.”

  
  
The vampire’s face morphed from one of mischievous anger to one of seriousness in an instant.

  
  
**“We located the fallen angel.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my first series! I’ve written a few drabbles here and there that I’ve posted to my old blog but I’ve decided to begin anew! (rip me) Things are somewhat complicated/confusing in the beginning but I promise everything will be explained in due time. (Thought the world could be made better with s’more vampire!Chanyeol, enjoy~)
> 
> UPDATE 6/2/17: holy moly guys, can you believe it’s been half a year since this series started? I can’t thank you all enough for sticking with it for so long and for keeping faith in me as an author! I’ll continue to work hard for you all~
> 
> ~Nunchi


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language

The sound of gentle waves lapping at a thin shoreline was the first sensory response you felt as your consciousness was reawakened. Needle-like pain pierced all known muscles and joints in your body as your heavy eyelids struggled to open. You found yourself at the grass-strewn coast of a large lake, the sun bordering the horizon and the storm clouds having formed dispersive curves in the orange sky.

  
  
_I fell. The dream… It actually happened._

 

Fire coursed through your veins as you heaved yourself up on all fours and began to crawl to the surrounding tree-line. Once within the shroud of the bordering forest, you positioned yourself against a thick oak and did a damage report on the aftermath. Your white, long-sleeved gown was ripped in many places, leaving little to the imagination. You slowly began to move your joints, starting with your toes and working your way up.

 

_Broken left ankle. Dislocated right kneecap._

__  
  
You winced.

  
  
_Left shoulder is out of socket._

__  
  
You leaned forward in an attempt to stretch the full eight-foot span of your wings, almost immediately retracting the motion in pain.

  
  
_Left wing socket sprained. Right wing broken._

__  
  
You clutched onto the tree for support and decided to put most of your weight onto your right leg. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes as you remembered your knowledge of the world below your own.

  
  
_It’s got to be the 21st century, humans aren’t aware of supernatural races yet. People will be looking for you. Run. Hide._

_Run._

_And hide._

  
You opened your eyes, gaze filled with a fierce determination to survive. With the way the wind was blowing, another storm was likely to hit soon. It wouldn’t be long before the sun would fall behind the horizon line entirely, so your first priority was to find shelter. Your trembling hands left the trunk of the tree as you began to stumble farther into the woods. That’s when you heard it.

 

_Snap._

Admittedly paranoid, there was no way you could’ve misheard the distinct breaking of a tree limb in the distance. Someone was already aware of your foreign presence here. You needed to get moving.

 

You lost recognition of time after the sun had completely set, and had no idea how much had passed when you came upon an uprooted tree, whose roots served as makeshift burrow.

 

 _I just need a few minutes_. 

 

You quickly limped to the wall of roots and sat yourself down, leaning against them. You forcefully ripped the right sleeve of your dress off and quickly wrapped it around your limp ankle. Deep cuts had accumulated all over your body throughout your excursion through the dense forest; blood seeping through the tears in your dress and across your arms and legs. You reached down and began to tear a thin strip from the bottom of your dress. It now reached slightly past the mid-thigh but you placed a higher value on stopping infection than being modest in this god-forsaken place. You split the strip of dress up into smaller pieces and dressed the worst of your wounds before stumbling back to your feet and continuing to walk, unaware of the hideously conspicuous blood trail you were leaving behind you.

 

* * *

 

 

He wasted no time in assembling his most elite hunting dogs to accompany him in retrieving you. No one else was allowed you touch you. No one else was allowed to approach you. No one else knew how long he had been waiting for a miracle like this to fall from the sky, and there was no way in hell he’d let this incident reward anyone but him. 

 

He rapidly paced down the maze of corridors within the massive, repurposed warehouse. Another vampire followed hurriedly behind him in an attempt to acquire his attention.

 

“Report, Kyungsoo.” he said in a monotone voice, not losing focus on his destination.

 

“Sir, our scouts reported her to have fallen at approximately 1700 hours, having sustained many injuries to her ankle, knee, shoul-”

 

“Can she fly?” the red haired vampire-in-charge interjected with a dead tone.

 

“Our sources say she has broken many ligaments in her wings, and that it appears she is unable to much more than stumble across the forest floor.” 

 

“And no one else is aware of her presence?” He grabbed his black leather tailcoat as well as his crossbow from the trunk of one of the many black vans that littered the warehouse garage.

 

“We appear to be the only group that has mobilized efforts thus far, sir.” the assistant retorted.

 

“Very well,” He slammed the back door of the van closed before running to climb into the front seat of the vehicle. “You know what they call me, right Kyungsoo?”

 

His huntsmen hopped into the shotgun seat and slammed the door, “Chanyeol, the fire devil, sir.”

 

“Exactly, which means I come into the possession of anything I want.” he turned to look in the rear view mirror with a sly grin before starting the van. 

 

“Ever since the moment she fell from the sky, that angel has belonged to me, and I always take what is mine.”

 

* * *

 

The hunt had begun.The rain was coming down in thick, opaque sheets now, and they were hunting you down.You could hear their cheers and primal hollering from the rapidly decreasing space between you, but you continued to sprint for any distance you could maintain. Wet leaves and dirt clung to your feet and legs as you made a beeline for the cliff that came into your view. At this point you decided height was the only thing that would give you more time. The only illumination of your path came from the royal blue that the moon provided through the sea of storm clouds, and your route became harder to discern with each passing minute.You managed to reach the base of the rocky mountain edge and began your slippery ascent.

 

_400 meters… at most I have 400 meters in between us._

_Two minutes… all I need is two minutes._

The cliff face provided many foot holds and the dead trees provided an array of large tree roots to aid your climb, but with rain came mud, and with mud, absence of all friction. 

 

At this point, the your brain was pumping every ounce of adrenaline it had into your bloodstream. You weren’t just fighting for your life, you were fighting for the opportunity to choose your own fate.Your train of thought ended with your heart jumping into your throat as your foot suddenly slipped away from its makeshift holding. You fell a few meters before clutching a thick tree root that was sticking out over the cliffs edge. You could hear  _them_  over the crashing of the rain below you.

 

“We finally got her! We got her, sir!”

 

You didn’t bring yourself to look down the 30 yards of vertical distance that separated you from brutal captivity. You closed your eyes in an attempt for your body to regain some form of homeostasis before rescaling the wall of stone that was your only escape.

 

_Just a bit more… to go…_

Your hand slipped yet again due to the instability of the nearest tree root, causing an assortment of fist-sized and larger rocks to come tumbling down from the top of the cliff. You ducked your head into the dip within the slab of stone you were currently attached to, narrowly avoiding certain death as the rocks came crashing down to the forest floor below you.

 

_I won’t._

“Sir, it doesn’t look like she’s going to give up.” 

 

The voices from below were barely audible now.

 

“Yah! Angel-cakes! How’s-about you stop trying to kill yourself up there and head back down.” A much deeper voice called out over the storm.

 

_Like hell._

“I give you my word you will not be mistreated under my care.”

 

Your grasp on your current stone face was slipping and in a split second you had committed to leaping from your unstable position onto the top ledge, using your strained biceps to heave your lower body up. The rocky platform you had just jumped from gave way and crumbled back to the earth below.

 

“Sir- ca-… go arou-… on top-” 

 

You were too far up to hear anything but vague fragments of your pursuers’ conversation.You lunged for the last bit of rock that would secure your place at the top of the massive plateau. Once at the flat surface, you rolled onto your back and stared at the monochrome sky, signifying your hard-earned victory.

 

_I won’t._

After your perception of a minute passed, you rolled over to your side in a feeble attempt to stand up, peering over the edge of the cliff you had just scaled.

 

No one was there at the bottom.

 

And you were smarter than to think they had just given up and gone home.

 

“Good evening, beautiful.” The deeper voice from before sounded behind you.

 

You turned your piercing gaze to the noise coming from the other end of the cliff, your body following with a painful lag. The deep-voiced man had to have been in his twenties, with fierce bronze eyes and a neon shade of red hair that starkly contrasted the unsaturated grey of the world around you.

 

“Unfortunately, we came prepared.” He gestured to his hunting team of eight, all dressed in some form of black leather with a long range weapon of their choice. 

 

They each had carried with them a thick pile of black harnesses and grappling hooks, giving you the unfair disadvantage.

 

_I won’t._

Your expression remained locked into a defensive snarl. You knew immediately there was only one direction to go.

 

You gave your wings a slight ruffle to check their condition, hoping to keep your plan of unlikely escape a secret. The deep voiced man noticed, and cautiously began to walk towards you one step at a time, as if approaching a frightened, cornered animal.

 

“Around here they call me the fire devil, which means I’ll be taking what I want,”

 

Another step.

 

 “Whether it’s willingly-”

 

He slowly began to reach behind his back.

 

“Or forcefully, Angel-cakes.” The red-haired leader growled over the steady rush of rain.

 

_I won’t._

“…I wont… let you-” your snarl grew more ferocious as your gaze bore into his. 

 

“-Decide my fate” The words of defiance you managed to cough out sounded much less fierce with your strained ability to breathe.

 

The moment he began to slowly pull the crossbow from his back was the moment you spent every dime of chance you had. Everything that came afterwards happened in excruciating slow motion: you lunged over your left shoulder, extending your full wingspan before leaping off of the mountain’s edge. You made three successful, powerful strokes using your wings before a sharp puncture sent pain directly to your brain; the consequence of an arrow being lodged directly within the tendon of your right wing. You strained your neck and shoulder muscles in a futile attempt to reclaim altitude, but were ultimately met with a steady descent back to the forest floor. You grasped at the open air before being abruptly slammed into the thick branch of a forest oak, breaking a few ribs in the process. This broke your fall but still ended in excruciating contact with the cold, wet ground. 

 

You coughed as soon as you pulled yourself up onto all fours, crimson blood from your lungs mixing with the downpour of rain on the leaves beneath you. You stumbled to your feet and pulled together your remaining strength to center your vision. This action was rewarded through the sighting of a small cave about a hundred meters away from you. Your determination to stay out of your pursuers’ hands led your brain to shut off the pain in your legs, giving you new found strength to make a last-ditch effort for the last option you had.

 

You could hear them behind you once again as you closed the distance between you and the cave, entering it with less than a hundred meters between you and your assailants. Your ability to maintain balance deteriorated and you eventually resorted to crawling on all fours as you continued your journey to the farthest end of the cave. It seemed endless. After reaching the dead end, the grey light at the entrance of the cave was almost impossible to make out. The isolation and lack of light encased you in darkness. You saw the faint dark figures at the entrance, shouting words that were no longer discernible to you. 

 

Your vision blurred in and out of focus as a torch was lit at the mouth of the cave. This light became brighter and brighter as the sound of footsteps became more distinct.You smirked to yourself as you clutched onto the arrow lodged within your wing, yanking it out with as much force as was left in your fragile body.

 

“Look, I hold no weaponry, and I have no intention of hurting you.” 

 

Your gaze continued to pierce the stone floor as the recognizably deep voice was muffled as it traveled to your ears.

 

“I always take what is mine angel-cakes, one way or another.”

 

He continued to close the spacious gap between you.

 

“Well. I hate to disappoint but-” You croaked as your gaze shifted from the floor to his obscured face, illuminated by the torch he was holding. 

 

You grasped the arrow with your right hand and chuckled to yourself. Your hunter noticed this action in an instant, apparent fear lighting up his previously charismatic expression as he realized your intentions.

 

“Screw you.”

 

Before the man’s rough arms could prevent your own feeble ones from doing what you intended, you plunged the arrow directly into your gut, shutting your eyes at the instantaneous pain that shook your entire being.The ability to hear and see rapidly disintegrated; the last things you being able to visualize and listen to being the endless gushing of blood sprouting from your stomach, and the muffled, frantic yells of the lanky huntsman in front of you.The last sensation you felt was the pressure changing from that of the stone wall you were leaning against to that of strong arms underneath your arms and legs. The feeling of being lifted from the floor lasting only a few seconds before your consciousness vanished entirely.

 

* * *

 

 

“I want it understood that no one is to follow me,” Chanyeol unstrapped his crossbow off of his back and unbuckled his hunter’s belt. “I’m going in alone.”

 

“Yes sir,” His troop responded in unison.

 

The rain had begun to lighten up outside the cave by the time he had made it to the entrance of your final destination.

 

 _Why were you so insistent upon running when defeat was inevitable?_  

 

He couldn’t put a thumb on it, but there was something off about your stubbornness. Chanyeol crouched to take a thin dagger out from within his boots. Having abandoned his entire arsenal, he started his descent into the wide-mouthed entrance of the cave in nothing but his loose black shirt, pants, and boots.

 

_Time for a new approach, then._

He grabbed the lighter in his back pocket and lit a makeshift torch from within the entrance. With a final nod to his hunting crew, Chanyeol walked further into the darkness that was quick to engulf him.

 

He wasn’t walking for long before he heard it. The unbalanced heavy breathing. The scratching of the stone floor. The the restrained whimpering of pain. All the sounds that indicated his prey was within his grasp at last. The thin orange glow of the torch Chanyeol was carrying was barely enough to illuminate the outline of your crumpled figure at the corner of the cave. A smirk was quick to make its way onto his face as he slowed his advancing pace to you.

 

“Look, I hold no weaponry, and I have no intention of hurting you.” 

 

_Unless I have to…_

His confident, piercing gaze met your delicate, crazed one as he aimed his torch to illuminate your figure. 

 

“I always take what is mine Angel-cakes, one way or another.” His relief in his own success was evident in his tone.

 

It was then that he noticed your fragile, yet clearly distinct smirk as you glared back at the ground. He watched your determined, weak movements from the orange glow of his fire, and quickly noticed the pool of blood that was surrounding you. 

 

You had pulled his hunting arrow out from your own wing.

 

“Well I hate to disappoint… but,” Your fiery gaze struck somewhere deep within him, and adrenaline began to pump into his system as you raised the tip of the arrow at yourself. “Screw you.”

 

_Shit, shit, shit!_

Chanyeol instantly dropped the torch and rushed to intercept the metal skewer from making contact with your stomach, but he was far too late. The blood from your previous injuries mixed with that of your new stab wound, staining Chanyeol’s hands and arms as he intervened. He panted for air in a state of disbelief and fear as he frantically ripped the arrow from your abdomen. 

 

“Hey, angel-cakes, look at me,” Chanyeol cupped your face tightly and tapped your cheek in an attempt for you to open your eyes. 

 

“Shit! You can’t die on me now!” His protest was in vain as he witnessed your consciousness fade and your body fall limp across the stone wall. 

 

He slipped his arms underneath your unconscious body’s torso and legs to carry you bridal style, and began to sprint back towards the opening of the cave. His long legs carried him to the entrance in a matter of seconds, but seconds were all you had.

 

“Yixing!” Chanyeol’s voice shattered as he cried out in desperation, finally leaving the darkness of the cave. 

 

“Yixing-  _damnit_ \- she doesn’t have much time.”

 

Everyone’s heads snapped to their bloodied leader and the broken angel in his arms. A lanky, muscular member of the team instantly came running from amidst the group, carrying with him a thick black duffel.

 

“Put her down so I can check vitals,” the medic ordered in an inexplicably calm voice.

 

Chanyeol delicately laid your body onto the flat, leaf-covered forest floor. Both he and Yixing hovered over your motionless frame. Yixing ripped the zipper open from his bag and grabbed a capped syringe.

 

“Hold her shoulders down.” He commanded Chanyeol, who instantly obeyed.

 

Yixing uncapped the needle and forcefully plunged it right beside your heart. Your body instantaneously sprung to life as all of your limbs jolted sporadically. Your eyes flew open and you gasped for air. Chanyeol’s wide, fearful expression made contact with your own before your head dropped back to the ground and you coughed a spurt of blood.

 

Yixing’s gaze burned at Chanyeol’s face as he looked down at you, “There isn’t much I can do, Chanyeol, she’s sustained too many internal injuries for me to stop the bleeding.”

 

Chanyeol returned Yixing’s glare in desperation. He felt pressure on his wrist and he released the grip on your shoulders to see your own bloodied hands attempt to hold his. He hesitantly grabbed your hand with both of his own.

 

“Please…” You muttered over your mouthful of blood, “Just let me die, please.”

 

Chanyeol looked around at the other members of his team, who had been watching in complete silence and tense anticipation of what their leader would decide to do next. 

 

He noticed one of his crew towards the back of the huddle, shaking nervously with his gaze avoiding the blatant situation taking place in front of him.

 

“Luhan…” Chanyeol warned in a growl. “Step away from the situation, now.”

 

_He’s the newest vampire of the group. Shit._

The other vampire’s glare of predatory, primal instinct met Chanyeol’s.

 

“Th-the blood… it’s too much…” Luhan croaked in pained restraint.

 

In an instant Chanyeol ordered two of his men to restrain him; “Suho, Baekhyun! Get Luhan away from here now!”

 

Following his command, three vampires were gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Chanyeol with the bloodied mess before him.

 

“Her vitals are dropping too quickly, Chanyeol, if I operate now she might have a thirty-percent chance of surviving this.” Yixing began to pull out his surgical tools.

 

Chanyeol looked at your frightened eyes as you heaved for air to fill your lungs in vain, then at the forest floor. 

 

“There’s only one thing I can do now.”

 

Yixing, along with the other vampires, looked up at Chanyeol in instant shock. 

 

“You can’t, there’s no way we know for certain that her body can handle that.” 

 

“I’m willing to take those chances in order to deal with the immediate problem, Yixing.” Chanyeol’s cold stare slowly met those of his members’.

“I’ll be damned before I let her slip through my fingers like this.”

 

Yixing opened his mouth to argue, but quickly closed it and nodded to another member of the group that was huddled around your broken frame. 

 

“Kai, Chen, pin her arms and legs down tightly.”

 

In the blink of an eye, there was a vampire restraining both of your wrists above your head, and another kneeling between your legs gripping your ankles painfully tight. 

 

“N-n-n-”, your eyes conjured tears instantly as your gaze pleaded for them to stop whatever it was they had in mind. 

 

Yixing gave Chanyeol a reassuring glance. “Ok, on the count of three, I’m going to give her another shot of adrenaline. You’ll have a ten second window to do it.”

 

You began to relentlessly struggle against your vampiric restraints in vain.

 

“One,”

 

Chanyeol noticed your kicking become more frantic.

 

“Two,”

There was no was he was going to let you die. He would do everything in his power to prevent your death, even if it meant this.

 

“Three,”

 

At the same moment that Yixing plunged another syringe into your chest, Chanyeol brought his wrist to his lips and ruthlessly broke through the skin using his canines with a loud ‘ _snap_ ’. Dark red began to flow from his self-induced wound, but he quickly shoved his wrist to your lips. You sealed your mouth as firmly as you could to prevent any of his blood from slipping past, but Chanyeol easily forced them to split apart, allowing the liquid to enter your system. 

 

Acidic fluid spread through your body like wildfire. It wasn’t long at all before your senses dulled, then disappeared completely into a silent abyss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah! Here’s part one! I didn’t have a lot of time to proof this part so I apologize if it’s discombobulated~ Like I said some things will be explained throughout the course of the story (where did Reader come from? Why was she falling? Who the hell are these guys?), so fear not! I’d love some feedback from you guys ^-^ so lemme know if you want to see what happens next! <3
> 
> ~Nunchi


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language

Before any of your other senses had the chance to return, you were abruptly, involuntarily jerked up from your resting position with the overwhelming need to vomit. You fell off of the small, metal duffel that had been holding you a few feet above the ground, landing in an undignified, feeble lump on a cold concrete floor. You quickly scrambled onto all fours before abrasively upheaving liters of blood onto the ground. Your limbs trembled as you looked around your surroundings in anxiety.

 

_Bars… Space…_

_A cage._

Your vision waned in and out of focus, but you could clearly make out the outline of metal bars around you. The structure resembled a makeshift attempt at a bird cage, as you had plenty of open space surrounding your bloodied pool in the center. You unsuccessfully gasped for air to refill your lungs as another violent tremor overtook your diaphragm. A steady stream of blood pooled onto the floor once again. Your ears were met with an abrupt creaking of metal and rushed footsteps.

 

“Aish- He said this would happen.”

 

You felt a hand against your back and turned your face to the side, only to be met with the red-haired assailant from before.

 

“W-Why-” Your question was cut off by another vomitous spasm, leaving you more breathless than the last one.

 

“Shhhh, it’s gonna be okay Angel-cakes, I’m not going to hurt you, just breathe okay? Just breathe.”

 

You shut out everything else and focused all of your energy on keeping a steady influx of air within your lungs.

 

After the seventh upheaval of blood, your limbs collapsed from underneath you and you fell against the hunter’s kneeling torso.

 

“You’re mine now… that’s all that matters.”

 

Your breathing calmed as another rush of exhaustion hit you like a tidal wave.

 

“You’re mine… And now I have all the power in the world that I need.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

Chanyeol looked down in satisfaction as his prize had passed out in his arms. He scooped up your fragile frame, mindful of your expansive wings, and laid you down on the makeshift hospital bed he had prepared. He exited the cage, placed within his own massive living quarters, in search of medical supplies. He returned to your prison quickly with a bucket of water, some bandages, and a towel. He began to redress your stomach’s wound with great care, remembering the steps that Yixing had taught him. Once a new layer of gauze had been applied, he tended to your broken wing, once again reapplying a fresh supply of gauze and medical ointment. The towel was then dipped into the bucket of water and wrung out before being used to clean the excess blood off of your body from your vomiting escapade. As he gingerly wiped the blood from your face, Chanyeol reflected on his encounter with Yixing earlier that day…

 

_“She’s going to be okay Chanyeol, just breathe.”_

_“How am I supposed to breathe when you told me my blood would end up killing her, after I had already forced her to drink it!” Chanyeol’s voice had dropped octaves, explicitly indicating his anger._

_“It was the better short-term option, and lucky for us, she’s not a human. She’s not even a normal angel from what we can tell.”_

_“And just what can we tell, Yixing”_

_“We’ve only had one case to draw data from, when an angel appeared eight years ago. As you well know, that’s how Monsta X’s clan became the most powerful in a matter of days. From what Intel I could barter, She’s the answer. The answer to everything is in her blood.”_

_“What can she do Yixing, cut to the chase.”_

_“Specifically, we know nothing. But we do know it made Monsta X godlike enough to exterminate every werewolf pack in the vicinity. But from the information I’ve received she isn’t without her limits.”_

_“Go on,” Chanyeol urged._

_“First of all, angels reject vampiric blood. Extensively. While it may still heal their injuries, an angel will forcibly get it out of their system within a day of its exposure.”_

_“Don’t shove blood in her mouth e_ _very time she has a paper cut I get it, what else?” Chanyeol wanted to move beyond the obvious._

_“As of now, it’s detrimental that you never let her-”_

* * *

 

Chanyeol was abruptly brought back from his thoughts at the sound of you beginning to regain consciousness.

 

“Why… am I alive…” Your voice came out dry and broken as you refused to open your eyes.

 

“I can’t have my one way ticket to limitless power die on me so easily now can I, Angel-cakes?” Chanyeol looked down at you with a cheeky grin and continued to dab gently at your bloodstains.

 

“If I’m so valuable, why haven’t you taken my wings?” You opened your eyes and met his gaze with one of false confidence. “They’re a liability, right?”

 

Chanyeol pursed his lips together and turned his focus to cleaning you up. “Well, with your current injury combined with this nifty life-size bird cage I’ve managed to whip up, I don’t see you going anywhere anytime soon.”

 

You swallowed dryly.

 

“Plus…” He wrung out the once-white towel over the pail of water, “There’s no sense or reason in taking away an aspect of your astonishing beauty that is your wings.”

 

Chanyeol let the soiled towel hang on the rim of the bucket before turning to you with a mischievous smirk.

 

“…unless you make me.”

 

* * *

 

The concept of time remained unbeknownst to you. Your existence at this point consisted of waning in and out of sickly consciousness. Sometimes your abductor was there, sometimes he wasn’t.

 

_What was his name..?_

You disregarded the thought. Greedy, power hungry criminals like him didn’t deserve that much attention.

 

The sound of the rusted gate creaking open alerted you to his presence once more. As you opened your eyes, you felt…  _different._

_Something’s not right…_

“Hey Angel-cakes, rise and shine,” His sing-song voice grew louder as he approached you.

 

“W-what… what am I wearing?” It was then that you looked down incredulously at your altered appearance.

 

You no longer had on a worn out smock, but a fancy, pristine sundress that stopped before it reached your knees.

 

“Can’t have you looking all ‘just fell off a cliff and stabbed myself’ for the big reveal, right?” He grinned from one big ear to the other.

 

If you didn’t know any better, you’d question whether this guy was even a vampire, forget being a possible gang leader.

 

It was then that you looked down from his cheerful expression and saw the object he held in his hands. Instead of the usual metal pail and rag, he held  _rope_.

 

You visibly tensed and he noticed.

 

“I’m not trying anything funny, Angel-cakes, I just need to take the proper precautions when taking you outside of this rusty tin can.”

 

“Stop calling me that.” Your hands slid across the thin mattress and harshly gripped onto the edges, never taking your eyes off of the red rope he held at his side.

 

“What, ‘Angel-cakes’”? His eyes were overflowing with amusement. “You haven’t exactly given me a name to use in its stead.”

 

“It’s degrading.”

 

“Oh,” the vampire feigned shock and did a grandiose bow in your direction, “I sincerely apologize, _your heavenliness_.”

 

“For your information,” you glared into his silver irises, “Giving out our name is a sign of deep, irreplaceable respect, and I would never tell anyone as despicable as  _you_.”

 

“Wow, I’m touched.” He aggressively pronounced every syllable and brought the hand not holding the rope to his heart.“Would you prefer Princess?”

 

Your eyes narrowed in contempt.

 

“How about Dove?” He continued, “Pumpkin? Ooh, I know,  _Cupcake_. Cupcake totally suits you.”

 

Your unenthused expression told him all he needed to know.

 

“So, Angel-cakes it is.” He smiled mischievously before seriousness cast a shadow over his expression.

 

“Now give me your wrists.”

 

* * *

 

After a painful knot and obscuring blindfold were tied, you found yourself being pulled along what you guessed to be a maze of long, narrow corridors and hallways. You could tell light was a scarcity, even with your eyes covered in black silk.

 

“Is- is this,” You fumbled blindly and almost tripped as your captor continued to lead you at a hastened pace, “Is this really necessary?”

 

“Well, we can’t have you memorizing any escape routes, now can we?” The familiar deep voice responded.

 

He wasn’t incompetent, you’d give him that much.

 

“Plus, I thought I’d be a gentleman and lead you there myself instead of the alternative,” His pace slowed in response to your less-than-graceful stumble.

 

“The alternative?” You panted but relaxed as he slowed his walk.

 

“I thought you’d rather be awake instead of drugged up and unconscious for the bazillionth time.”

 

“That’s an odd thing for a killer to say to his captive.”

 

“Just because I own you does not mean I have to be a bastard about it. I have a reputation to uphold, after all.”

 

_Typical earth-dweller. You own nothing._

“And what kind of reputation is tha-”

 

Your question was cut short as you abruptly bumped into a wall.

 

_Nope. Not a wall._

His back might as well have been one, though.

 

“Showtime, Angel-cakes.” Your vision reinstated itself fuzzily as the vampire turned around and untied your blindfold.

 

You were in a dimly lit room that resembled some form of industrial warehouse. It was rather large, but the expanses of its walls were obscured by darkness. You stood before a single chair that had been bolted into the floor.

 

“How you are treated down here depends on you.” His tone audibly darkened, “Do not mistake your place here. You are no longer in heaven or wherever the hell you people come from.”

 

Your eyes narrowed in annoyance.

 

Your captor made his way around the chair and tied the length of your leash to its back. He bent down and picked up a chain that had been strewn on the floor. He then motioned for you to take a seat.

 

“You are my possession. My golden goose, as it were. Possessions do not disobey their owners, nor do they have a voice in how they are used.”

 

Your chances of running and successfully escaping were in the negative numbers at the moment, so you convinced yourself to submit his plan, whatever that was.

 

“Do what you want to me. But I will not resign my dignity.”

 

He circled around the simple metal chair and knelt down at your feet before wrapping the chain a few times around your ankle.

 

He glanced back up at you with a deadpan expression, “Do as I say, and that won’t be necessary.”

 

You shot back a defiant glare as he stood up and towered above you. “And just who are you, exactly? Other than an obvious thief and lowlife.”

 

He smirked and opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a gruff voice behind him.

 

“Sir, everyone is ready.”

 

“Alright,” He slowly turned away from you and walked in the opposite direction into the shroud of darkness, “Let’s do this, Kyungsoo-ah.”

 

* * *

 

Two figures appeared from the shadows into the dim light of the lamp hanging over your head, one on either side.

 

“Good ole’ Xiumin and I have been given permission to use force if you don’t cooperate with us,” The taller, lankier man on your left sent you a nasty grin while the other stood silently, hitting a large black stick against his palm whilst staring off into the distance ahead of him.

 

“I’m Sehun, and I’d  _love_  it if you made things a little  _interesting_  for us, dollface.”

 

A low growl subconsciously slipped from your throat at the sound of the pet name, but you kept your eyes trained straight ahead.

 

Your confidence faltered, however, when the ground rumbled beneath you. Before you could realize exactly what was happening the floor surrounding the chair you were sitting on began to raise upwards, like a sort of platform mechanism.

 

Your ears sensed the dull roar of a crowd, but you thought that seemed highly unlikely amidst this cramped warehouse.

 

Your heartbeat quickened, but before you had time to prepare yourself for whatever your captor had in store for you, blinding lights seared your lenses. You physically flinched as a result of their piercing intensity.

 

“ _This,_  ladies and gentlemen, is our key to victory.”

 

The lights remained unchanged at a painful intensity as you continued to hear the chaotic murmurs and chants from what you assumed to be an assembly before you.

 

The spotlight finally moved a few feet away from your face, allowing you to see the thin silhouettes of the crowd in front of you. You had been lifted onto a large, vacant stage in some form of old auditorium, taking center stage with the sickening feeling of a thousand or more eyes trained on your every move.

 

“That’s right, everyone, get your gawks in now because she’s not for show.” You turned your squinted gaze towards the source of the familiar voice.

 

There he was. No more than a hundred feet away from you. He was standing as proud and as arrogant as possible, showing you off to his audience like a prize he had won. He nodded in your direction, making eye contact with the men on either side of you.

 

“Stand up.” The stoic guard on your right commanded gruffly.

 

_I am not a trophy._

You trained your gaze straight in front of you and aligned your spine vertically against the back of the chair, promptly stating your defiance.

 

“I said  _stand up._ ” A dense blow was taken against your rib cage, causing you to fall ungracefully off the stool.

 

Both men had pulled out their black sticks and firmly gripped the handles. You could tell by the way the air crackled around them that they were now electrified.

 

You staggered to your feet, calmly regaining your composure, when the one called Sehun growled darkly, “Expand your wings. Now.”

 

_They want to make a spectacle of me._

You bit down on the inside of your cheek, refusing to let up on your defiant stance.

 

One of the black sticks was promptly shoved against your spinal cord, sending agonizing, fiery pain down your nervous system. You hunched over, but bit your tongue and refused to give your consent.

 

You glanced over at the only familiar face.

 

He mouthed in restrained anger: “ _Stand up_ ”.

 

Another stab landed above your tailbone, causing your knees to buckle underneath you. Landing on your side, your cheek slammed down hard against the cold floor. You heaved for air through your nostrils and closed your eyes to gain composure.

 

_If they want a show. They’ll get one._

You clenched your fingers into fists as they were restrained awkwardly in front of you. You shifted your weight and sat up on your knees as Sehun aimed another electrocuting jab at your back. Before it could make contact, however, you tensed every muscle fiber you could control along your shoulder blades. In the blink of an eye, you had forcefully, powerfully expanded your full wingspan, knocking the weapon right out of your attacker’s hand.

 

“The only reason Monsta X has taken over every other clan is because they got their hands on one of  _her_  kind.”

 

You refused to look anywhere but directly at the ground, but by the suffocating silence that abruptly swept over the crowd, you could tell where their focus was.

 

Your hair was grabbed roughly, jerking your head up towards the ceiling. A sharp sting tinged your neck, followed by the feeling of a thin, steady stream of liquid flowing from the source.

 

Sehun ran his index finger over the trail of blood, keeping a firm grasp on the hair at the nape of your neck before bringing it to his lips.

 

A weak moan escaped him, and after a forceful blink, his irised had tinted a threatening shade of crimson.

 

“If you would, Xiumin.” Your original hunter’s deep voice sounded.

 

Before you could release the breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding, a gunshot rang painfully across the auditorium.

 

And rang.

 

And  _rang_.

 

It’s echo shadowed the initial blast for what seemed like an eternity, and your ears felt as though they were being burned by acid.

 

The tight grasp on your hair disappeared.

 

You tilted your head to the side just enough to see Sehun beside you, chest covered in blood. The tall man staggered backwards slightly. His comrade had just shot him.

 

_He didn’t just-_

You cut your own thoughts short as you saw Sehun  _straighten up_. His biceps flexed and he raised his head, a dark smirk appeared as he eyed Xiumin, standing on the other side of you. In less than a second, Sehun had sprinted in a blur to meet the other guard face-to-face. He pulled the handgun that had been used to shoot him out of Xiumin’s hand painstakingly slowly. Once in his grasp, Sehun slowly constricted his palm.

 

The gun was being crushed as though it was made of clay.

_Crushed_.

 

A clap sounded from the other side of the stage.

 

“They have the ability to give us vampires godlike abilities with just an ounce of their blood.” The leader paused to let the audience regain their focus.   
“So think what an endless supply could warrant.”

 

You bit your cheek harder to keep yourself from shattering your composure.

 

“As a disclaimer, if any of you approach, touch, or so much as look at my bounty the wrong way,”

 

_I will not become your toy, you a_ _rrogant filth._

“You will suffer a vivid, painful death more violent than your worst nightmares.”

 

The silence remained like a thick fog among the crowd.

 

“Follow my instruction, and we will have power. We’ve already begun out plans of war, and soon enough, not only will we be able to defeat any clan that stands in our way,” His piercing gaze turned to you, sending an ominous empty feeling to the pit of your stomach.

 

“Humanity will be ours for the taking.”

 

* * *

 

 

After having another blindfold hastily tied (its knot containing a chunk of your own hair), you were once again shoved down the corridors that littered the vampires’ nest. A door was opened and you were shoved inside, vision still obscured.

 

“He’ll be here to take you back to his quarters shortly.” The gruff voice of a guard sounded from the other side of the door before it was slammed shut inches from your face.

 

They had managed to retie your hands behind your back, which made the task of restoring your sight an impossible one. The room you found yourself locked in was a mystery, so you stuck your foot out and began to search the corners for furniture, or anything else they put in this godforbidden place.

 

Suffice to say it was a small room, maybe taking up a few hundred square feet. You leaned against the wall opposite to the door and waited.

 

And waited.

 

_And waited._

After what you thought was at least a half hour, you heard the latch from the door unlock and you scrambled to straighten your posture.

 

“I-it took you long enough.” Your attempt to come off as confident was unsuccessful.

 

Something felt different, though.

 

Something felt  _off._

“Unfortunately, he’s too late, doll.”

 

_That was not your captor’s voice._

“W-who a-” You were silenced as your body was forcefully pressed up against the wall, painfully digging your wings into their sockets on your back.

 

“He’s not here, sweetheart, and he won’t be.” Rancid breath confronted your nostrils as your attacker’s hot breath indicated his face was inches from yours. “I want you to scream his name as I take his source of ultimate power from him right under his nose.”

 

“Too bad for you, then,  _demon_ ,” You growled, “I don’t even know it.”

 

“It’s all the same to me in the end, darling,” A crunch sounded as the vampire’s fangs instantly emerged from behind his lips. 

 

“This’ll hurt. A lot.”

 

You desperately squirmed underneath his grasp as the tips of his canines made their way to your neck, and you sucked in a breath in preparation for the pain you expected.

 

A pain that never came.

 

A powerful wind swept across your body, and the presence of your attacker instantaneously vanished along with your blindfold.

 

You snapped your neck to look at the wall across from you, only to see the red-haired vampire you knew as he pinned your assaulter ruthlessly against it.

 

“You just broke rules one through three, pal,” The familiar vampire snarled with a humorous tone, “Not a smart move on your part.”

 

In one blink, the lesser vampire had his chest pressed up against the wall. In the next, you heard his neck twist a full one-hundred-and-eighty degrees with a fatal, prominent crack.

 

The body crumpled to the floor, and the fiery-haired man made his way over to you confidently before checking your neck for any bite marks.

 

“For the record,” He yanked the blindfold from around your neck and looked into your eyes with a charismatic grin, “My name is Chanyeol.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here’s part two guys! I apologize if I jump around too much, but there are a lot of things that will be answered in future chapters~ :3 I want to thank everyone for the support of the first part!! It legit made me giddy for the whole week like a total dork. ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED
> 
> ~Nunchi <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language

You couldn’t sleep that night. Not that you did on a normal basis. The only means of telling whether the sun had risen or fallen was the fist-sized vent in the ceiling of the massive, garage-like room you resided in.

 

_So Chanyeol is his name._

Not that you had any interest in identifying your captor, however, he  _was_  a vague, violence-ridden mystery to you. Being from another realm, you had the ability to feel a person’s intentions and emotions after interacting with them rather strongly. A type of emotional radar. Chanyeol, however, was a different story. You were bombarded with a blinding overdose of sensations every time you tried to figure him out, and it frustrated you beyond belief.

 

So you sat there, hugging your knees on the creaky scaffold of a bed, compromising the perfect plan of escape.

 

_I just have to get these weak-minded people to trust me._

After countless hours left in your own thoughts, you drifted into a tentative state of exhaustion.

 

* * *

 

Dawn eventually came, and your eyes were met with a burning sensation due to your resistance of sleep. You swung your legs around, earning a milk squeak from the rust-covered bed, and dusted off your white smock. The sound of a door unlocking jerked your attention to the main door of Chanyeol’s room. The cocky vampire himself appeared not long after the lock was broken and sauntered into the room, wearing a simple gray cargo jacket and worn brown jeans.. He didn’t so much as glance in your cage’s direction as he walked over to his large, king-sized bed and placed the large duffel that hung around his shoulder upon it. He continued to unzip the bag and the clinking of metal objects brushing against one another heightened your attention as he drew from it various items. All of them sent alarm bells ringing in your head.

 

A handgun.

 

A pair of metal cuffs.

 

And a chain.

 

He sniffed nonchalantly before grabbing the assortment of threatening objects and turning in the direction of your confinement. As he began to mess with the lock on the cage gate, you immediately flung yourself off of the bed and darted to the furthest side of its iron walls.

 

“Easy there, tiger,” Chanyeol placed the items on bed, “I want to take you somewhere outside of this dingy rust bucket for a bit.”

 

“And what if I respectfully decline?” You kept your eyes trained on the gun that had been thrown on the mattress.

 

“Then I’ll have to not-so-respectfully use other means to get you there regardless,” He smirked before his face fell, “Now come here.”

 

You didn’t budge, hands clutching the metal bars behind your back.

 

“Don’t make me do this the hard way, Angel-cakes.” Chanyeol’s voice lowered threateningly.

_Trust… trust… get his trust…_

Your hands tightened and you forced your eyes closed. You struggled to take a deep breath before slowly taking a step towards Chanyeol.

 

“Take your time, Angel-cakes. I’m not going to hurt you.”

 

Your eyes flew open as you continued to inch closer to him. Taken aback by the sudden change in his voice, you stopped moving.

 

“No need to kill the goose with golden eggs, right?” Chanyeol tilted his head to the side with a slight smile, “I told you before, it’s entirely unnecessary to inflict discipline if you don’t deserve it.”

 

“You still treat me as an object.” You muttered aggressively.

 

“Well, you certainly aren’t from around here, and I have what you might call a ‘one-track-mind’,” His smirk returned.

 

“More like an oversized ego.”

 

He sighed, “I’m being rather lenient with you, Angel-cakes. Don’t make me regret not just strapping you down in the medical ward for the rest of your existence.”

 

You swallowed and a lump formed in your throat. You were still confused as to what the full extent of your relationship with Chanyeol was, but he made it abundantly clear that he was in charge, and that disobedience brought severe consequences.

 

You were only a few feet away from him at this point, and Chanyeol took the opportunity to grasp your forearm and yank you towards him. A short gasp escaped you as you stumbled and landed straight into his chest. After looking up to meet his mischievous gaze, you tried to pry your arm from his grip unsuccessfully.

 

“You’ll like where we’re going, Angel-cakes,” He mumbled gruffly while forcefully grabbing both of your wrists, holding them tightly in front of you.

 

You remained silent as he locked the cuffs in place.

 

After the chain was attached to the cuffs’ lock, Chanyeol looked into your eyes with a gentle smile.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

 

After leaving the room, Chanyeol led you down a maze of dimly lit, concrete hallways. You were surprised at the fact that he didn’t blindfold you this time.

 

_Not that I have a clue where I am or how to get back._

After several minutes of blindly following the man who held a tight grip on your leash, you found yourself at the bottom of a winding, stone staircase that was cut off as soon as it hit the tall ceiling. It’s path seemed to continue onwards past what was obscured, but for how long you had no idea. Chanyeol began to ascend the stairs with you trailing closely behind him. It seemed to curve towards eternity, and the only thing that lit your path was the orange hue of electric lights lining the ceiling above you.

 

It didn’t take long before your bare feet were thoroughly scuffed up, but by the time you made it to the door at the end of the stairs, a few blood blisters had appeared on your heels. Chanyeol fumbled around in his worn jacket’s pockets for the key, then continued to unlock the heavy wooden door. It took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the change in lighting, but the sight you witnessed once your vision cleared took your breath away.

 

Chanyeol’s observatory was beautiful.

 

The expansive walls and floors consisted of stunningly gorgeous navy blue and gold marble. You glanced down to see your reflection shimmering off of the tile floors. Bookshelves lined the circularly-shaped study, and the bookcases might as well have stretched hundreds of feet high. Ladders were strewn here and there, and large piles of books littered the edges. You glanced up at the ceiling and were met with a beautiful, crystalized glass dome, stars sprinkling the void of sky beyond it like freshly dusted glitter. After looking back down you realized that the only pieces of furniture that had been laid out in the center of the observatory were a few rustic armchairs, an old lamp that gave off a dingy yellow glow, and a single, silver-coated telescope that pointed its lens at the ethereal realm above.

 

“’Might wanna close that hole before a bug flies in it.”

 

You didn’t realize you had been gaping the entire time.

 

Chanyeol tugged on your chain, leading you to the small loveseat that had been placed beside the telescope. He sat down and pulled on your leash once more which caused your knees to buckle and your butt to ungracefully land on the cushion with a loud thud.

 

You continued to jerk your head around, still in shock, looking in all directions to observe the gorgeous room.

 

“How- W-why-” You turned to face Chanyeol, who had been studying your reaction to his own amusement, “Why did you bring me-  _here_?”

 

Chanyeol sighed and leaned back into the cushion next to you, glancing up at the ceiling.

 

“I know it’s out of place here, but this observatory’s been here for ages,” He paused and close his eyes, “I’ve simply managed to keep it properly cleaned and maintained. No one comes up here except for me.”

 

“But why am I-”

 

“As for you,” Chanyeol turned to you, leaning his head on his palm as his elbow rested on the back of the couch, “I need answers.”

 

“A-Answers for what?” You swallowed.

 

“For you.”

 

* * *

_Society in the Angels’ realm isn’t what most mortals imagine it to be. Our worlds originally shifted apart centuries ago, and the only remnants the people of earth hold in accordance to this schism is found in legends and fairy tales. The home of the so called ‘angels’ it actually the world of the Seraphim. Seraphs for short, our job has primarily been to gauge the justice system on earth and protect it accordingly. We are not omnipotent beings who play with the fate of those on earth. We do, however, visit earth to study or guide those in order to favor equity in earthen society. When we do this there is no physical form to our bodies, as we act as more of a residual spirit than anything else. However, there are times, rarely but occasionally, when a seraph will take particular interest in a human or other earth-dweller, becoming their quote unquote ‘guardian angel’. Other than that, the city of the Seraphim is nearly identical to that of any other Terran city. There is crime, and that crime is dealt with in strict, immediate, and merciless fashion. As there is no room for insubordination within the Seraphim’s walls._

_You were the one responsible for locating and isolating these threats. Once the government called for a seraph to be detained, it was your job to find them. You mainly faced the population of Seraphim that felt the need to spread more hate and sin on earth, rather than protect it. You were highly decorated, in fact, for finding and detaining the seraph responsible for the cause of the second world war. As your position grew, so did your assignments, and honorous fame._

_A select few of your colleagues, however, were less enthused with your accomplishments._

You had been brutally knocked unconscious and thrown into the trunk of an unidentifiable vehicle. You struggled ferociously against the ropes binding your wrists and ankles, mumbling around the makeshift gag in your mouth as you were encased in darkness.

 

You heard faint footsteps and a distant dispute taking place far away from the car.

 

“-Where the hell is Chief (y/l/n)?!”

 

_The Director. But- what is he doing here?_

You began to try and kick at the back of the trunk’s hood, but the ties around your ankles and knees prevented any significant movement.

 

“We’re sorry sir, but as the Chief was pursuing the latent rogue seraph into the building, the gasoline was lit and the place went up in flames. By the time we were able to make it inside, the fire had discarded any trace of her valiant effort.”

 

_Those bastards._

You had been set up.

 

“We will hold a glorious vigil in honor of the many decades of the Chief’s accomplishments, sir. I’ll see to it that she is deeply honored in her passing.”

 

_You twisted son of a bitch. Just wait until I get out of here._

Before you could make any successful progress on loosening your ropes, two doors opened and shut, and the vehicle’s engine hummed to a start.

 

_If they think they can get rid of me that easily they are sorely mistaken._

The seventh solid kick to the face had you rethinking that idea.

 

Blood was smeared all over your face and had seeped into your eyes.

 

Thunderstorms had soaked the atmosphere, and although you didn’t know where you were, the wooded cliff had anxiety clawing at your stomach.

 

“Do you have any idea how long we’ve been preparing for this?”

 

Another kick sent you flying to the ground from the samurai position you had on your knees.

 

“I’m gonna venture a guess here and say a while.” You sputtered mockingly as you coughed up blood.

 

A hand violently grasped your hair and dragged you up to face your attacker. However, due to the steady stream of blood clouding your vision, their face remained obscured.

 

“Confident until the very end, as always,” They snarled, “We even had to wait until the gate opened. How long was that again?”

 

_The gate… The gate between realms. They didn’t plan to-_

“28- no, 34 years?”

 

“You wouldn’t.” You coughed up another spurt of blood.

 

“You still seem ignorant to the significant lack of recognition us lesser-ranked Seraphim receive.”

 

“Try catching a big fish yourself some day then,” You smiled weakly.

 

“Let’s see if you’re still smiling after being torn apart by the terrans.” The hand that gripped your hair threw you to the ground, making you take in a mouthful of dirt.

 

“Your nightmares won’t come close to the punishment that awaits you once you’re caught for this.” You growled.

 

Your attacker kneeled down on the ground next to you, and you looked up at them defiantly.

 

“Your nightmares won’t come close to the inescapable torture and abuse you will feel at the hands of the mortals.”

 

Before you had time to spit back at them, a boot lodged itself I to your gut, sending you off the cliff with a fearsome impact.

 

And so you began to fall.

 

And fall.

 

_And fall._

As the storm clouds looked down at you with both remorseful grief and prejudiced mercilessness.

 

* * *

 

Chanyeol was just…  _staring_  at you. He had never once broke eye contact.

 

_Trust. I told him this to gain his trust._

“I know it’s probably a lot for a terran like you to take in.” You continued to stare at your feet, clutching your knees tightly underneath your whitened knuckles.

 

“Wait- so-” Chanyeol ran his hand through his hair and released an exasperated breath, “You caught the guy responsible for starting World War II?”

 

Your head jerked up as you gave him a thoroughly confused glance.

 

“Uh,” You swallowed the lump in your throat, “Actually, it was a female seraph.”

 

“Wait, seriously? The war started because of a  _chick_?”

 

You glared at him, eyes narrowing.

 

“Jealousy is an infamous trait found in females of any species, apparently.”

 

“One of these days you’re telling me how that shit went down.” He let out a small laugh before becoming serious once more, looking back up at the sky through the glass.

 

“In all seriousness, I’ve been there.”

 

You scoffed, “Falling miles from the sky?”

 

“Beaten. Broken.” Chanyeol’s face darkened further, his gaze staring intensely into the tile at his feet. “ _Betrayed_.”

 

Silence permeated in the cold, ventilated air.

 

Chanyeol broke it gently, speaking softly yet firmly, “I brought you up here to explain a few things to you.”

 

You slowly turned your head to the side to glance at his, which was still pointed towards the marble floor.

 

“I feel that in order for this relationship to work, you need to know a few things about me, my kind, and what’s going to happen to you from now onwards.”

 

“From now… onwards?” You swallowed again, this time painfully.

 

“Yixing will be in charge of running the tests-”

 

Every muscle in your body tensed immediately.

 

“-I’ll need you to cooperate.”

 

“T-…” You took a deep breath, “Tests?”

 

Chanyeol still avoided your eye contact.

 

“We don’t know what your kind, what the  _Seraphim_ , can do.”

 

“What will they do to me?” Your voice trailed off as your mind wandered into dark territory.

 

Chanyeol finally tilted his head to meet your wary gaze.

 

“That, Angel-cakes, I don’t know as of yet,” He paused as his stare bored into your own.

 

“But it won’t be pretty.”

 

* * *

_They were all dead._

_No, that was wrong._

_They were all_ slaughtered _._

_Chanyeol staggered to his feet amidst the rapturous battlefield that had claimed his homeland. Lifeless, mutilated corpses morbidly filled any open space within the destroyed cityscape. Fire licked up the sides of any buildings that remained upright, leaving bloodied bricks and cinderblocks in massive piles that stretched as far as the dim, magenta horizon. A deep gash on his forehead caused a steady stream of blood to slither down his face, past his eyes and across his jaw._

_“Stand down, Park,” Chanyeol spun around, still discombobulated due to the lack of blood in his system, “The rest of your family has fallen.”_

_“Wu Yifan, you traitor!” Chanyeol spat at his friend, a multitude of troops prepared to fire their arm at his beck and call behind him. “We were a human clan that posed no threat to you_ vampires _.”_

_“You were in the way,” The enemy placed his hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder, “You see, we needed these parts to expand our territory, and unfortunately for you, your little gang here occupied the space we needed.”_

_“What have they done to you, Yifan?” Chanyeol heaved for air as his blood-filled lungs worked to produce oxygen. “What have they done that you would betray your family? That you would mercilessly slaughter them!?”_

_Yifan chuckled to himself before grinning at Chanyeol, baring his canines as proof of the destruction done to his old self._

_“They gave me_ power _, they gave me the responsibility for hundreds of armed men that I can dispatch whenever I please,” Yifan grabbed Chanyeol by the hair, “Something that_ you _never trusted me with.”_

_“Then finish what you started.” Chanyeol spat, his gaze burning into his friend’s defiantly._

_“On the contrary,” Yifan threw Chanyeol to the ground, “I rather like the idea of keeping an old tyrant from my past around as a servant.”_

_Chanyeol scoffed, “You won’t so much as get a ‘yes sir’ from my lips before I take my own life.”_

_Yifan kneeled down beside Chanyeol’s crumpled body._

_“Oh, don’t worry about that, old friend,” He grabbed Chanyeol’s right arm roughly and pushed back the thin jacket’s sleeve. “I’ll just make you invulnerable to such insubordination.”_

_Before Chanyeol had the chance to push away from Yifan in his weakened state, his canines viciously, mercilessly ripped into Chanyeol’s forearm._

_Chanyeol’s torturous screams echoed through the suburban wasteland, drowning out the tranquil crackle of fire as it rang across the battlefield._

* * *

 

 

Chanyeol forcefully shook his head as the memory faded from his conscious. He noted that you remained silent the entire trip back to his room. He kept his gun drawn in the hand that wasn’t pulling your leash along and was secretly grateful that he didn’t have to use it. He had brought along in case you had any residual plans of escape. Once inside his quarters, he kept a tight grip on the chain  as he made his way over to your cage. He halted in his tracks a few feet away from the gate and took a deep breath. He could feel your confused gaze behind him burning into his back.

 

He yanked on the leash between your cuffs as he walked towards the opposite corner of his room, causing you to stumble.

 

Chanyeol approached a worn, iron handle that had been welded into the concrete wall and began to wrap the extended chain around it, finally securing it with a lock and key.

 

“Give me your foot.”

 

He laughed as you gave him a quizzical look.

 

“Isn’t that better than both of your wrists?”

 

Chanyeol looked down at you as you nodded. You placed your bloodied, bare foot on his leg as he unlocked the cuffs around your legs and relocked them around your right ankle. The cuts, bruises, and blood blisters did not go unnoticed to him.

 

He sighed as he delicately placed your foot back down, and went across the room to one of the several metal cabinets against the wall. He returned with a small tin bucket of medical supplies.

 

“Sit down.” Chanyeol ordered.

 

He took note of your surprise as you hesitantly sat down on the cold concrete floor.

 

He squatted down by your feet and gently grabbed the foot that had taken the worst of the trip. After applying ointment from a small tube and placing a thin layer of gauze over all of the affected areas. he did the same to your other foot and broke the silence.

 

“Yixing will run the tests before the night is over.”

 

You jerked your foot back as Chanyeol inadvertently prodded a deep cut. His grip on your ankle only tightened to keep you in place as he continued to spread the ointment across the open gash.

 

“We have no idea what the limits of your abilities, or the limits of what your blood are.”

 

He finished securing the gauze in a tightly wrapped bandage.

 

“You won’t be killed, but I can’t promise it will be a pleasant experience for you.” Chanyeol stood up and dusted off his brown jeans. “But, this is necessary in the overall progression of things, so it has to be done.”

 

He walked over to his bed, opened the drawer, and threw the handgun inside before grabbing few pillows and tossing them on the floor next to you.

 

“You might want to get some rest before it starts.”

 

He turned and made his way to exit the room before you called out to him.

 

“You said you could relate,” Your voice wavered. “To being betrayed.”

 

Chanyeol stopped before he reached the door.

 

“I can.” He gripped the handle and opened it, “And I still do.”

 

The heavy door slammed shut and you immediately turned to look at the drawer that Chanyeol had put the gun in. Your leash didn’t reach that far, but you wouldn’t accept defeat that easily.

 

_I have time before the night ends, Chanyeol-ssi._

_And I believe you still doubt my ability to escape from you and your twisted world._

You were going to get out of this godforsaken place.

 

**_Tonight._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! It’s done in time for Christmas!~ I worked really hard to fit in a smidgen of background info on this one (the next chapter is gonna be a doozy), and I hope it turned out alright for you guys. This chapter is lowkey dedicated to those super nice anons who cheered me up when I was stressed over this, yall are the real MVPs. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please continue to support it if you are enjoying it so far~
> 
> ~Nunchi


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence (heavy abuse), (lots of) blood, (strong) language, themes of torture

It didn’t take long for you to find a way to steal Chanyeol’s handgun. It was secured within his dresser, granted, but it being under lock and key only seemed to heighten your motivation. **  
**

Once it was within your grasp, you used the butt of the firearm to hammer away at your chains. The metal loop they had been hooked around eventually fell to the concrete floor with a heavy  _clank_. You let out a sigh of both relief and partial freedom. It was the first victory you had against them. It was their first defeat.

 

You dragged yourself, feet still bandaged, to the other side of the room and avidly searched for something,  _anything_  that could be used to dislocate the heavy, clanking metal from your ankle. After scouring the steel lockers and chests for a few minutes, you scored a pair of weighty, industrial wire cutters. This was the moment you cursed yourself for being a seraph, as your arms began to burn and grind as they relentlessly attempted to cut the chains. After over a dozen failed attempts, you were rewarded with the most satisfying  _snap_  you remember hearing in a long time. You rubbed your bruise-covered ankle and kicked the remaining length of chain away from you.

 

 

The faint sound of booted footsteps, keys lightly clinking together, and hushed voices met your sensitive ears in an instant.

 

You froze, and your primal instincts to remain a block of ice until the predator passed took over your nervous system. Your eyes flew to the silent weapon laying on the floor at your feet and you released a heavy breath. The handgun was quickly reunited with your trembling palm as you scampered to the side of the room adjacent to the bolted metal door.

 

The cacophonous sounds grew louder.

 

And louder.

 

And  _louder_.

 

They were right outside now.

 

You counted four, based on the amounts of breathing and shuffling just behind the closed door.

 

The lumberous gate creaked and groaned as the latch was thrown and it began to open. You cowered further behind the corner across from the door, waiting to make your move.

 

“-What I’m saying is this isn’t something that  _should_  or  _shouldn’t_  be done,” You heard Chanyeol’s deep voice as his party entered the room. “This is something that  _has_  to be done, Yixing. Our survival depends on-”

 

A thick silence suffocated the room as Chanyeol noticed the broken chains strewn across the floor.

 

A growl erupted from his throat.

 

“What. Happened. Here..?”

 

The leader took a step forward with every word, his anger evident from the way veins protruded from his neck, arms, and fists.

 

“Angel-cakes,” Chanyeol’s commanding voice boomed from the center of the room, yet you remained tucked away behind the wall in the corner. “Let’s not do anything stupid again and come out.”

 

His eyes widened as you made your entrance, gun tucked away behind your back.

 

“It’s time to go, Angel-cakes, the sooner we get it done, the sooner it’s over with.” Chanyeol was threatening you now, you could feel the fear of uncertainty in his voice.

 

“You’re not taking me anywhere.” You pulled the handgun from behind you and with both hands, pointed it straight at his heart. “Not alive, anyways.”

 

Chanyeol let out an abrupt laugh and ran his hand through his neon red hair, “I really thought you’d be smarter than this, Angel-cakes. That toy won’t so much as scratch me, thanks to that hefty dose of your blood I took a while back.”

 

You shifted your weight between feet and gulped. “It may not do any damage to  _you_ ,”

 

The rest of Chanyeol’s party, the three over vampires, visibly gasped as you turned the head of the gun to your temple.

 

“But I’m positive this will kill anything else, including a seraph.” You hissed your threat like venom directed to pacify Chanyeol and his men.

 

Chanyeol put both of his hands in front of him and a subduing manner, as though calming an escaped lion. There was still a lengthy distance between you and he immediately paused his advance, staying as still as stone.

 

“There isn’t any need to go that far, Angel-cakes, just hear Yixing and I out.”

 

“Oh I’ve heard damn well enough,” You spat, “And for as long as long as I live, Chanyeol-ssi, I will never become your puppet of war.”

 

A sudden flash whizzes past from the corner of both your and Chanyeol’s vision.

 

“Don’t!”

 

You blinked, and by the time Chanyeol had barked his order, you say two vampires standing behind him.

 

 Not three.

 

Before you had time to come to your senses your arm was twisted in a painful direction, and you looked behind you to see one of Chanyeol’s men smirking at you evilly. You grabbed the gun with your other hand and grappled with the attacking vampire for control.

 

“Stand down!” Chanyeol sounded much closer now as he darted across the room.

 

He was too late.

 

A shot rang painfully across the condensed space inside the concrete walls.

 

Amongst the push and pull for control of the firearm, it had gone off, and not in the direction of your attacker.

 

You slowly brought your hand up to the left side of your chest, staggering backwards. Blood dripped from your fingertips as you examined your hand, and smeared across the white gown you were wearing. A sudden spurt of blood made its way past your lungs, up your throat and out of your mouth before you leaned forward and collapsed towards the ground.

 

Chanyeol was quick though. Quick enough to catch you in his intense, secure grip, shoving the vampire that assaulted you against the wall with inhuman force as he did so. Blood from your coughing fit had made its way into your eyes and began to stain your vision, but you could still make out Chanyeol’s worried expression and he looked over you.

 

“Hey, hey Angel-cakes, stay with me now, you can’t black out on me again, you hear?” A inconsistent, sharp ringing filled your ears, making Chanyeol’s voice flow in and out of clarity.

 

The proximity of the gunshot had done serious damage to your hypersensitive hearing.

 

There was too much blood pooling in the back of your throat to make an audible sound that was not a choked gurgle, but you fought Chanyeol’s hands as he laid you on the floor. He began ripping open part of your dress to examine your wound. You glanced down and regretted the effort it took, as you saw an endless stream of blood gush from the open injury.

 

_Well… That… Could’ve gone better._

“Shit!” Chanyeol slid his strong forearm underneath your neck for support as he frantically glanced up and down your body. “I don’t care what Yixing says.”

 

You lazily blinked, eyelids feeling as heavy as stone as your mind wandered from bloodloss.

 

“…You’re slipping away from me too quickly again, Angel-cakes. I’ll have to do this again.”

 

Your ears met a disgusting ripping sound, and you knew right away what he was going to do again.

 

“Don’t fight me this time, Angel-cakes,” His voice suddenly softened, as though he had flipped a switch.

 

You shut your eyes tightly as Chanyeol pushed the open wound on his wrist to your lips, refusing to give him access in order to revive you.

 

“…Please.”

 

That caught you off guard, and within the timeframe of a split second, Chanyeol had removed his wrist from your mouth to his own, licking his own wound quickly before closing in on your lips.

 

The kiss,  _definitely_  caught you off guard.

 

Your eyes flew open as Chanyeol’s lips met your own. It was more tender than you ever would have expected coming from a violent vampire, and the initial shock was enough for him to gain access to the rest of your mouth. You didn’t have time to react as a minuscule amount of metallic substance slipped past your lips into your throat.

 

Chanyeol broke away from the kiss, still holding you firmly within his grasp.

 

“Y-you… You-”

 

Your protesting voice trailed off as the blood loss inevitably became too great, and your consciousness released its trying grip on reality.

 

* * *

 

The monotonous droning of a box fan brought you back to your senses one by one.

 

You fought for a few minutes to lift your eyelids, still feeling like cinderblocks, and slowly adjusted to the bright light overhead. Cold metal against your back sent a chill that caused goosebumps, and the small hairs on your skin to stand straight up.

 

“It only took you half a day to come-to.” You struggled to identify the source of a stranger’s voice.

 

You tried to sit up, but your arms and legs felt like lead beneath you, keeping you as still as stone against the stretcher. Your wings were awkwardly folded and tied behind your back. You tilted your head to the left and caught a glimpse of a tall, slender man as he nimbly slid around the table you were laying on and dusted through various cabinets.

 

“Your nervous system took a rather nasty hit during you squabble, so you won’t have feeling below the waist for a while.”

 

His voice was different than the others’ you encountered while being locked away in this dungeon. It was warmer, smoother, more _comforting_. He seemed to give off a surprisingly safe aura on your empathetic radar, and it caught you off guard.

 

You became significantly more shocked when he turned around. His hair had been gelled back once, but not held a few clumps of hair that messily fell in front of his eyes. If you didn’t know any better, you would’ve called his features angelic, despite his vampiric visage.

 

“You can stop staring now, sweetheart,”

 

Head flushed your cheeks and you turned your head to look at the ceiling. You felt a warm touch on your arm and flinched away from it. The presence on your arm remained.

 

“My name is Yixing, and I’m not going to hurt you. That isn’t my job, alright?” His voice sent a relaxed feeling down your spine and the tension in your arms disappeared.

 

“Not yet, anyways.” You voice was dry, throat being thoroughly cracked and begging for water.

 

Before you had the chance to put your guard up, a sharp pain stung your shoulder. You jerked your head to the side to see Yixing focused on injecting you with the unknown contents of a syringe. He cut you off before you could interject.

 

“This is to help reinstate control over most of your muscles in the upper nervous system.”

 

Somehow, you didn’t question him.

 

“I’m simply a follower of commands, sweetheart,” Yixing smiled down at you softly, “I don’t make very many judgement calls.”

 

“You follow Chanyeol that blindly?” You croaked.

 

His face fell immediately, expression becoming sullen and serious.

 

“I may not agree with some of Chanyeol’s methods, but he has suffered through more tragedy and hardship than that of your most sinister nightmares.” Yixing wrapped the area he had inflicted the needle upon with a thin layer of gauze.

 

Your mouth closed as you reflected on those words.

 

“What you pulled was more than just dangerous, sweetheart,” He secured the gauze with medical tape, “It could’ve spelled destruction for our entire clan.”

 

“Wh-what do you mean by that?” Your heartbeat quickened as you tried to wrap your head around the significance of your actions.

 

Yixing opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by hastened knocking at the heavy metal door.

 

“I’ll let  _him_  explain what he wants to.” He turned around and cleaned the blood off of his hands in the small sink next to the counter. “Since he’s the one who you’ve endangered the most.”

 

Yixing dried his hands and went to open the door. You heard heavy panting on the other side, and although you couldn’t see who it was, you knew.

 

“Is she awake?” The familiar huskiness of Chanyeol’s voice set the hair at the nape of your neck on end.

 

He didn’t sound worried.

 

He sounded  _pissed_.

 

“Yes,” Yixing leaned against the doorframe as Chanyeol slowly entered the room, “I’ll go get everything prepared for tonight like you asked.”

 

And with that, Yixing was gone, leaving you in a small, cramped room with a vampire who emitted a murderous aura. This seemed entirely different than the concerned, yet arrogant, Chanyeol you had interacted with previously.

 

This Chanyeol genuinely frightened you.

 

He leaned his back against the wall opposite of your stretcher and leaned his head upwards. He closed his eyes and took an extremely long breath.His exhale was emphasized as he ran his hand through his red hair.

 

“You fucked up, Angel-cakes,” Chanyeol’s hand returned to his side, forcefully balling into a fist, “You  _really_  fucked up.”

 

Your breathing quickened and you fought the numbness of your lower region to sit up.

 

“Because of your idiotic, useless,  _selfish_  attempt to escape,” He spat, his eyes now trained on yours, pinning you to the stretcher, “Things have gone to hell.”

 

Your breaths now became labored. You did your best to maintain confident eye contact with Chanyeol despite now being hunched over.

 

“The lower troops now think I’m a heretic, someone who can’t even control a mere puppet, a  _doll._ ” His tone remained venomous, but you could sense he was straining to suppress more aggressive behavior.

 

“Because of that, I’ve promised a demonstration to all eight-thousand residents of the EXO clan. Because of  _you_ -” You nearly lept out of your skin as Chanyeol slammed his fist against the shelf he was leaning on, causing miscellaneous books and bottles to clatter to the ground.

 

“-I’m having to reassert my hard-earned place as leader of this clan.”

 

You clutched the thin white fabric of the dress near your chest, trying to calm your breathing in vain. You felt as though you could sense each individual organ reject the blood that had been ingested earlier.

 

“D-Demonstration?” Your gaze faltered, focusing more on controlling the rising need to throw up.

 

Chanyeol crossed his arms. “They need physical proof of my dominance and unquestionable leadership of the clan, and the little stunt you pulled is the source of the blame.”

 

Before another word could be uttered by either of you, you grabbed the sides of the metal table, swinging your head over before emptying the contents of your stomach on the ground. The upheaval of blood was much less this time, but it still felt as though your intestines were being pulled in all directions as they fought to maintain a necessary level of homeostasis.

 

Chanyeol rushed to your side and pushed your hair away from your face as blood dripped past your lips and down your chin.

 

He took a deep breath as you heaved yours, arms trembling at they grasped the edges of the stretcher for dear life.

 

“You’ve betrayed my trust, Angel-cakes.” His voice dropped significantly in both tone and volume, “After I continued to give you as much leniency as I could.”

 

You looked up at him, sending a silent prayer for him to just let you go as wetness glossed over your pupils.

 

“So consequently, I’m out of options.”

 

The sound of another person entering the room brought Chanyeol away from his thoughts, and his hand left your hair, allowing it to fall back over your face.

 

“Everything is finished.” Yixing’s familiar voice sounded from across the room.

 

Chanyeol stood up after crouching over your hunched form and dusted his hands off on his pants.

 

“Good.” His voice reverted back to the same grim tone as before. “Make sure she’s ready by the time I come back.”

 

After that, Chanyeol turned over his shoulder and aggressively paced out of the room without looking back. The door slammed behind him and you were left to your disheveled state. Yixing knelt down at your side with a wet cloth. Your breathing had stabilized by the time he began to wipe the blood off of your face and arms.

 

“So…” You croaked, coughing a few times before continuing, “What happens to me now?”

 

Yixing stood up and rinsed the rag in the sink, returning to your side to continue cleaning you up with care.

 

“Now, I’m expected to prepare you for the demonstration.”

 

You closed your eyes and bit your lip, harshly.

 

“Prepare me?” Your hands quivered.

 

Yixing scrubbed particularly hard to erase a smear of blood on your cheek. He halted his movements as you feebly grabbed his wrist.

 

He sighed and removed the cloth from your face.

 

“I have to make sure you’re in your best condition before-” Yixing looked around the room hesitantly. “Before you’re at  _his_ mercy.”

 

You sniffed and sat up, brushing hair away from your face. You looked down at your feet and were surprised to find that you could wiggle your toes. You looked back up at Yixing expectantly.

 

“What will he do to me?”

 

Yixing avoided your gaze. He turned around and began to rinse off various medical instruments in the sink.

 

“Yixing-” He froze as you reached out and grabbed the edge of his shirt weakly.

 

“What will he do to me?”

 

As he turned around, his expression was sympathetic and solemn as he looked down at the ground with sad eyes.

 

“Whatever he wants to,” He answered slowly, forcing each word out from the back of his throat, “He is in charge of your fate now. No one else. Not me, not his followers, not the rest of your kind, and now-”

 

He glanced up at you, a subtle ferocity hidden deep behind his eyes.

 

“-Not even you.”

 

* * *

 

 

Another blindfold was tightly secured around your eyes, causing the top of your head to throb due to the lack of circulation. Your feet gathered dirt and scrapes as you were forcefully being shoved through another maze of corridors. Although you didn’t know your destination, you knew pain and humiliation awaited you.

 

Yixing hadn’t done much to fix you up other than give you the right mixture of drugs to restore feeling to your legs. You commented on the fact that the dress you were currently wearing was in tatters, but he merely responded saying that it would be of little consequence. At the end, he told you that he would be seeing you again once it was all over, and even flashed you an optimistic smile. Chanyeol had entered the room a few moments later with rope and a blindfold. He refused to look you in the eye as he tied your bonds and led you out into the hall.

 

Neither of you spoke. Any exchange of words would likely make the situation worse than it already was.

 

You had been walking for a few minutes when a rhythmic thud met your ears. The drumming became louder, and louder as you drew nearer to your destination. The closer you got to the consistent drums, the more noises filled your senses.

 

You could hear the rambunctious crowd, the chants of thousands, the incoherent mumblings of someone yelling over the loudspeaker. The chaotic mixture of sounds was eventually raised to a rapturous volume that drowned out the panicked thoughts flooding through your head. You had been pushed and pulled this way and that for so long that you just learned to stop fighting.

 

“Alright Angel-cakes,” After switching hands so many times, the blindfold had prevented you from recognizing Chanyeol once you were brought back into his arms.

 

“Let’s get this over with.” He growled softly right behind your ear, keeping a firm grip on your arm as your hands were bound tightly in front of you.

 

You swallowed thickly, doing your best to mentally prepare yourself for the coming torment.

 

“You can do what you want with my body, Chanyeol,” You hissed at him quietly as his body pressed up against yours, “But you will never control my mind.”

 

You heard a low chuckle.

 

“I don’t have to, Angel-cakes.”

 

The blindfold was ripped from the back of your head. Spotlights nearly blinded you, making you cower against Chanyeol’s chest. You looked down and quickly realized that you were both on a large pedestal raised quite a few feet above the crowd. While still indoors, the auditorium was packed as far as the eye could see with onlookers, all monotonously chanting. At first, you couldn’t make out what they were yelling in unison, as their voices blended together into one ambiguous mass, but after tuning your ears to drown out all other noises it came to you as clear as crystal.

 

“ _Angelus Sanguinem_!”

 

Your heart stopped.

 

“ _Angelus Sanguinem_!”

 

You knew what it meant.

 

_The angel’s blood…_

You were forced out of your thoughts when Chanyeol moved in front of your and grabbed your wrists, roughly bringing them above your head and connecting the rope to a chain that hung from the ceiling. His height allowed him to reach a hook several feet above your head. Once he gave the chain a thorough rug, he moved behind you out of sight.

 

“ _Angelus Sanguinem_!” The crowd continued to chant ominously, as though part of a collective.

 

You were now on full display for the crowd of vampiric clansmen before you. You noticed their faces were twisted in rage and excitement as Chanyeol shuffled around behind you. You heard a box open and close, and did your best to cancel out all other noises to pinpoint the identity of the object he had just retrieved.

 

A swift, gentle brush against the floor sent your heart rate to an unnatural level. Your heightened, inhuman senses picked up on the noise all too well, and you suddenly regretted their accuracy.

 

He had chosen a knotted, leather whip.

 

He positioned himself closely behind you and whispered softly, grimly, behind your ear.

 

“Do you have anything to say before we start?”

 

You closed your eyes and swallowed, your throat beginning to close from the adrenaline. You knew what would happen to him, and everyone else if you were subjected to his beatings.

 

“I…” You cleared your throat and replied softly over your shoulder, “I request that you cover my mouth.”

 

Chanyeols eyes widened momentarily before studying your expression. “You… Want me to gag you?”

 

You trembled violently as you nodded. “I know you won’t believe me when I say this… But it is for your own safety.”

 

Chanyeol seemed visibly skeptical, but pulled a long piece of silk out of the box behind him presumably to be used to bind your wings if they began to cause a disturbance.

 

Chanyeol obliged your request, wrapping the lengthy piece of fabric around your face multiple times before tying it tightly in the back. His curiosity was eating away at him as to why you would request such an outlandish effort, but quickly shook his thoughts away and focused on his current objective.

 

“Everyone, Everyone!” He slid in front of you and called attention to the masses.

 

Once the ravenous shouting stilled, he continued.

 

“My fellow clansmen, what you see before you is our one-way ticket to undisputed reign and power over the surrounding territories. But I ask you, hasn’t there been enough commotion over this angel’s foolish actions?”

 

The crowd roared.

 

“Thanks to her, our plans of glory and conquest have been postponed! So I ask you, shouldn’t she be the one to pay for her senseless attempts at escape, that mightily endangered our very survival?”

 

The roars became deafening as the crowd continued to chant their call for blood.

 

“ _Angelus Sanguinem_!”

 

Your eyes followed Chanyeol as he made his way behind you once more.

 

“…And angel’s blood you shall have.”

 

And with that, it commenced.

 

The first blow was a minor sting, doing enough damage to tear through the thin layer of cloth that your dress provided. The second was significantly painful, as the knots on the whip broke through the skin on your back, causing thin red lines to appear in their wake. Your bloodcurdling screams were efficiently caught and muffled by the silk tie, not allowing the crowd below you to bear witness to any vocal representation of your pain. The third and fourth strokes were agonizing, as the rough material dug deeper and deeper into the open wounds, causing blood to trickle down your legs onto the floor. You began to lose count after the ninth hit, focusing all of your energy on biting down on the thick strip of silk in your mouth. Your knuckles whitened and knees trembled as Chanyeol laid unrelenting torture upon your back. Soon enough, you felt as though there was no more skin to rip, and that the whip had taken a thin layer clean off. You began to feel hazy and unbalanced as Chanyeol pursued into the fifth minute of your punishment. You slowly lost feeling at the base of your wings and legs, slipping amidst the small amount of blood the pooled at your feet. Your tight grip on the chain above you quickly became the only thing keeping you upright. You eventually waned in and out of consciousness as a loud ringing took over your ears, blocking out all other noise. The whip became nothing more than a consistent  _thud_ against your shoulders.

 

As you lifted your heavy eyelids, you saw Yixing in front of you, hurriedly untying your wrists from the chain overhead. He then proceeded to unwrap the silk that gagged you. You collapsed against his hold, bloodied feet sliding on the floor before he scooped you up bridal style into his arms. He was trying to speak to you, but the ringing had not subsided, muting his efforts.

 

It seemed as though with every blink, a significant portion of time had passed, and before you knew it, you were delicately laid back down on Yixing’s medical stretcher within his small, familiar office. His mouth moves rapidly, but still no noise could overtake the sharp ring originating deep within your eardrums. You looked up at the ceiling as your eyes watered.

 

You laid there, motionless as Yixing tended to your wounds the best he could. You did your best to prevent the tears that threatened to fall, but were eventually betrayed by your own reflexes.

 

The dam collapsed, and you were left, deaf to the world around you, to suppress your own muffled cries.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow… I made this chapter hella dark… WHOOPS my hand slipped. Sorry this took so long y’all its been a nasty week. I tried to throw this together in a few hours to meet the deadline so I didn’t have time to properly proof it, I apologize. There are still plenty of things to be explained in this story so don’t get too caught up in the seemingly apparent inconsistencies just yet ^-^ Thank you for keeping up with the series so far and please continue to give it support and feedback!! 
> 
> ~Nunchi <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language

The following weeks passed in desolate monotony and silence, not a word left your lips through its entirety.

 

You hadn’t seen or heard of Chanyeol since the incident. Yixing had been the only one to enter the room, and on occasion, your cage. He told you it took three straight days for him to stabilize your condition. You believed him. You faded in and out of consciousness so many times that even Yixing lost count. At first you began to wonder why Chanyeol had avoided his own room the way he did, but the reason for Yixing’s visits quickly switched your focus.

 

He was there to  _collect_.

 

You remembered the first time he entered your cage, a day after you were moved from the medical ward, with a solemn look and rather hefty med kit.

 

* * *

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I’m going to need a few samples.” Yixing had told you cautiously as he entered.

 

There were no guards, no one else to accompany him as he opened the iron door to your cage. Despite this, you would never be able to walk yourself to the main gate in your state, let alone overpower Yixing.

 

You merely winced as he closed the iron bars behind him, looking into his eyes expressing a silent plea. His normally blood-stained white dress shirt he often wore was replaced by a clean one, without wrinkles or blemish. His hair was neatly swept to the side, and the grey rings under his eyes were no longer visible.

 

_He must have fed recently for the first time in a while._

 

He squatted down next to you as you hugged your knees tighter, refusing to break out of your huddled form. You pushed your back against the cold, scratchy metal and clenched your fists around your calves.

 

“I-” Your voice cracked, almost unhearable.

 

Yixing flipped the clasps off of his kit and pull out a thin, plastic water bottle. He reached it out to you and you feebly accepted it. You hadn’t spoken in so long. Your brain seemed to have forgotten how to release your voice.

 

You took a few sips from the bottle, letting its crisp coolness begin to soothe the cracks in your throat. “I- I thought you didn’t need to run my tests until I was fully recovered.”

 

Yixing sighed as he reached his hand out to delicately rub up and down your forearm, “I don’t need to take you to the lab, sweetheart.”

 

You raised an eyebrow, still holding his gaze. Your eyes held an evident fire behind the visible layers of confusion and fear.

 

“We’re… Going to run some tests on other people, to see what the full effects of your blood are on us.” His eyes flashed a brighter hue of red, highlighting his status as a vampire.

 

You bit your lip and nodded. Anything to postpone the seemingly inevitable torture that awaited you gave you hope.

Yixing gave you a light smile before digging through his kit once more. This time he pulled out a thin syringe, pulling the cap off. He extended his hand to you in order for you to place your own in his grasp. You complied, placing your trembling hand in his palm.

 

“Sometimes it’s better if you close your eyes.” He looked up at you before sticking you with the needle.

 

You leaned your head back against the metal bars. Your attempts to take a deep, stable breath were futile, as your lungs tightened and significantly restricted the amount of air you could take in.

 

“I’ve noticed you haven’t been eating much of your meals.” Yixing’s voice felt like smooth silk against your ears, easing the tension in your arm. “I know we vampires don’t cook too often around here, but I promise what I make for your isn’t poisonous.”

 

You didn’t respond, trying to maintain control over your own body in preparation for the litres of blood you assumed Yixing would steal from your veins, one syringe at a time.

 

“You have nothing to fear from me, sweetheart. I am the only one Chanyeol sends down here, you know.”

 

As soon as your guard was down and your muscles had relaxed, Yixing injected the tip of the needle into your sensitive forearm. You opened your eyes and flinched immediately but felt little pain.

 

“Sometimes it’s also better if you’re distracted.” He smile widened.

 

“Chanyeol-… He’s…” After filling the syringe, Yixing capped it and placed it delicately in his bag before rummaging for bandages. “He hasn’t seemed like himself since that night. I’ve tried convincing him to stop acting like a child and face you about it like the leader he is, but-”

 

You looked down as he taped a thin piece of fresh, soft gauze on the spot where he had pricked you.

 

“-So far I haven’t had success.”

 

You looked up from your arm to his face in a panicked moment of anxiety.

 

“He… Isn’t mad, sweetheart,” Yixing caressed your knee tenderly, “Don’t worry, I’ll get through to him and the disgruntled dork can tell you himself.”

 

Chanyeol appeared to you to be many things, but a disgruntled dork was not one of them

 

Yixing rose to his feet and dusted off his black dress pants.

 

“Y-You don’t need anything else?” You squeaked with concern in your voice.

 

“Why take more than what I need?” Yixing shrugged and smiled sympathetically down at you. “This is plenty, sweetheart, and I have no desire to worry you any further than necessary.”

 

You blinked up at him, then down at the bandage on your arm. “This is… Really what the rest of my life is going to be like, isn’t it?”

 

Yixing’s face fell and he made he way over to the door at a slow pace.

 

The lock on the gate clicked behind him, but he still held onto the handle, not taking his eyes off of it as he spoke to you, “I’m here to help soften the blows as much as possible, sweetheart. I’m just sorry that is all I can do for you.”

 

* * *

 

 

You tracked the number of times the tiny window at the top corner of Chanyeol’s room passed between light and shadow. Two weeks had passed since Yixing’s first visit. He came regularly every morning and evening to bring you a tray of lukewarm food, taking a full syringe of blood before he left each time. You didn’t converse much, but Yixing would always try to lighten the mood by describing the goings-on within the base.

 

He seemed so… Normal, to you now. No different than a human, or, your thoughts began go deeper, not much different than a seraph, such as yourself. The mere irony of the idea had you chuckling to yourself.

 

One night, you were curled up on the floor against the far edges of the cage, the tousled mess of blankets Yixing had provided you with being the only source of warmth. The heavy iron door to the master bedroom creaked open, and you jolted upright immediately in a daze.

 

 _That’s weird…_  You thought to yourself.  _Yixing already came earlier this evening… He doesn’t visit this late._

You craned your neck to see who it was that was planning to enter the room as your heartbeat quickened.

 

A few seconds later, your eyesight rewarded you with a bright red splotch of hair sticking out around the doorframe.

 

It was Chanyeol.

 

You scuttled back against the bars, pushing your knees against your chest as Chanyeol closed the door behind him and began to make his way over to your cage. He never met your eyes, staring deeply into the ground as he brought the keys out from his jacket’s pocket and unlatched the iron door.

 

Your breathing quickened to a rapid pace, but somehow, Chanyeol seemed to notice this. He froze his movements immediately, still refusing to meet your gaze. He pursed his lips inward and reclosed the gate, continuing to lock it before turning around and sliding down to the ground with his back against the bars. One of his knees was brought up towards his chest while the other leg stretched out across the floor.

 

You did your best to calm your breathing, but ultimately failed as Chanyeol broke the tensioned silence.

 

“I’m sorry if my presence scared you.”

 

His deep voice came out softly, as though he was trying to convince himself more than you to remain calm. It surprised you.

 

There were a few more moments of silence before he continued.

 

“However… I’m  _not_  sorry for what I’ve done.”

 

Your spine tensed., eyes trained on his back as he leaned against the door across from you.

 

“Something needed to be done to pacify the masses. They needed to be shown who was in control-”

 

Chanyeol looked down at the ground to his side, his side profile coming into view from your position.

 

“-And who was at fault.”

 

Your toes clenched as you shut your eyes, trying to ignore the remnants of memories from when he had so mercilessly beaten you.

 

More silence.

 

“Yixing…” You could hear the strain in Chanyeol’s voice, as though he had to force the words from his system. “Yixing… Told me, about why you… Why you told me to…”

 

He sighed and leaned his head against the bars.

 

“…To gag you.”

 

You swallowed, the dryness of your throat beginning to itch.

“He told me that he knew, from others’ past experience, that you seraphim have hypersonic capabilities with your voice.”

 

_How did they-… How did he know?_

“Yixing said that at full force, your voice could nearly deafen or paralyze anyone within close range.” Chanyeol’s voice was dropping lower with each statement now.

 

“You did it… To protect me… And possibly everyone else within the auditorium.” This time he was barely audible, but you heard it, loud and clear.

 

It was all true. You had told him to prevent you from letting your screams become audible. You knew the tremendous impact it would have had on everyone in the building. And for some reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to inflict that upon Chanyeol.

 

“I don’t know why you didn’t do it. I don’t know why you didn’t just try to escape by doing that. I don’t know why-” He cut himself off, taking a deep breath.

 

A soft, low whisper left his lips. “Why you can’t just obey me.”

 

You clutched your knees tighter, still refusing to answer him.

 

“I know you probably want to go home. Hell, I don’t even know if you can go home, even if you escaped from here. All I know is I have not made any outlandish demands.” Chanyeol’s voice shifted more delicately. “I have done my best to treat you with enough respect as I can give to a humanized weapon within my control.”

 

A stagnant silence followed for what seemed like an eternity. You couldn’t tell what Chanyeol was feeling, which was a first for you. The ambiguity of his stature scared you.

 

You shifted in place and clutched the iron bars behind you in an attempt to stand. Once on your feet, you made your way over to the door where Chanyeol was sitting at a painstakingly slow pace, too terrified to startle him to do anything but tiptoe.

 

You were a few feet away from the door when his voice sounded again, out of the blue.

 

“I was growing fond of you.”

 

You halted in your tracks, frozen and completely taken aback.

 

“You’ve been the only one to challenge my actions in a long time, despite having little to no leverage or defense against me.” Chanyeol looked at the ground right in front of him.

 

“And if what you told me about what happened to you in your homeworld is true, then you have nowhere to go.”

 

As much as you didn’t want that statement to impact you, it did. He was right. Even if you found a way to re enter the city, how would you be able to establish yourself as a high ranking officer when everyone had already classified you as ‘killed in action’? No doubt the men who had betrayed you have already worked their way into the system so that no one could so much as question your disappearance, let alone track your whereabouts here on earth.

 

“I empathized with that. I let my guard down too quickly, assuming that you would learn to adapt and survive down here.”

 

You remained as silent as you possibly could as you slid down to sit on the floor. There was something about you, deep within your mind that was calling you to lessen the proximity between you and Chanyeol. It was inexplicable, but you felt a burning desire to listen to and take in his words.

 

“I… I put too much trust in you, too much faith behind the principle that you are suffering through what I once did, ages ago.” Chanyeol murmured, turning himself around to sit facing you.

 

His gaze stared paralyzingly deep into your own.

 

“It’s going to take a long, long time for me to re establish my trust, Angel-cakes,” He spoke slowly, as though overly cautious you might interpret his words differently from their intended purpose.

 

“But I am willing to trust you again, if you let me.”

 

You swallowed and blinked at him. You still couldn’t find it in yourself to speak to him, but you had managed to give him a barely-noticeable nod to solidify your cooperation.

 

_I just need to establish a connection with him… Then maybe, just maybe, I can convince him that he no longer needs me._

“Life will not become easy for you until you let it, Angel-cakes.” Chanyeol looked into your eyes with an intensity to stop your heart. “All I need is your obedience and cooperation.”

 

Your eyes glossed over with unspilled tears as you nodded at him.

 

Chanyeol began to stand, taking the key out of the lock and putting it back into his pocket. He headed towards the door and grabbed the handle, turning to your before opening it.

 

He paused for what seemed like an eternity.

 

“…You treated me like a monster. So I was forced to act like one.”

 

The door slammed shut behind him, echoing through the desolate room for a few moments before leaving you with the familiar, lonely silence.

 

* * *

 

 

A few more days passed, with Yixing continuing his regular visits to take care of you. He made sure you drank, ate, and were able to bathe. You felt a sense of warmth and relief whenever Yixing came through the doors, and began to enjoy the small talk he made with you with tending to your injuries.

 

You were prepared to cooperate, to do as you were told, so long as it stopped the endless silence. You trusted that Chanyeol would keep his word, whatever it was worth, and that he would allow you some form of freedom as compensation for your obedience.

 

Yixing hadn’t mentioned anything about a future visit to the lab to begin the dreaded  _tests_  that had been set to start ages ago. He merely entered and collected a small vial of your blood for his own experimental purposes. Still, in the back of your mind, you knew the light at the end of the tunnel was still a long ways off.

 

* * *

 

 

A crash and a thunderous banging noise in the dead of night, however, had you questioning your own predictions. Your hair stood on end as you lept up from your palette on the floor and scattered to the back edge of the cage. The thuds continued against the door.

 

Someone was trying to get in. 

 

Desperately.

 

You grabbed the old IV pole Yixing had used during the first few days of your return into Chanyeol’s room, stripping it of its attachments. You grasped the end of the pole for all your remaining willpower was worth, sticking its opposite end towards the door that threatened to cave in at any moment.

 

And it did.

 

The several-inch thick gate buckled after being relentless pounded into, and you squinted to make out the intruder within the dimly lit room. A few people streamed into the room. Three bodies in total, you counted. You couldn’t make out very much of their appearance from their black clothing and average build, but you remained ferociously defensive, IV pole at the ready to do whatever it could against them.

 

“Relax, seraph,” A deep, unrecognizable voice called out from across the room. “We are here to help you escape.”

 

You didn’t budge, the flimsy metal rod still pointed aggressively in their direction.

 

The man who had spoke earlier nodded to another member of his team, and they made their way over to the door of your cage. Before you could utter a word, a flash of light a smoke temporarily blinded your vision, and the door flew open with a heavy, rattling creek.

 

“D-Don’t come any closer.” You shouted as loud as you could from across the cage’s diameter.

 

The entering individual put their hands up in submission.

 

“We aren’t vampires.” They removed the black hood from their face to reveal that they were female. “We’re humans who have been trapped down here and used as slaves.”

 

You stance weakened at the woman’s statement.

 

_Had they also been incarcerated down here, like you? How long have they been here? Weeks, months, years?_

“We heard they were holding a creature called a seraph prisoner, and using its blood to become more powerful than they already are. So, we decided to put our escape plan into effect, and rescue you on our way out of the hellhole.”

 

You tried to read the woman’s thoughts to the best of your abilities, but there was a familiar interference preventing you from figuring out her intentions.

 

“We don’t have much time, miss, we were only able to take out the guards outside your door and it won’t be long before they send an entire squadron of trained killing machines after us.”

 

As much as your nerves were screaming at you to stay put, you knew you would likely never get a chance at escape like this again. You knew this sounded too good to be true, but any chance at escape was better than no chance at escape. So, despite your overwhelming hesitance, you dropped the thin metal IV pole and followed the woman out of your cage.

 

Before you could fully register what had happened in the past sixty second, you were being swept away by the ragtag group of intruders through corridor after corridor

 

“Wait- How- How did you escape, do you know where you’re going, why do you know about me?” You stuttered as your tattered feet struggled to keep up with their pace.

 

“Do you really think that’s important right now?” The third member of the team hissed at you, continuing to guide you through the twists and turns of the vampire’s lair.

 

As soon as you rounded the next corner, a tall, burly vampire stood at the end of the hall, waiting and ready for you with a crossbow at the ready.

 

“Shit, not him again.” The woman of the group spat.

 

In the blink of an eye, she pulled out a handgun from the back of her belt and shot the beast at the end of their path three times in the chest.

 

The posse sprinted towards the end of the hall, nonchalantly stepping over the bleeding body on the floor and continuing their rampant excursion through the warehouse.

 

“Did- Did you know that guy?” You scrambled to keep up with them, your elbow being painfully grabbed by the woman in order to maintain their pace.

 

“No, of course not, we don’t know anyone’s names around here. They treat us like we’re animals. Just shove their fangs in our neck, no questions asked. Ironic, huh?” The female escapee muttered while remaining focused on the targeted exit.

 

“I- I suppose.” You recentered your thoughts on getting the hell out of here.

 

After running for a few minutes, sirens began to blare across the far reaches of the vampires’ den, altering everyone to your attempted departure. It wasn’t much longer before your group skidded to a dead stop, halted before a massive, bolted door.

 

“Shit. Joon, how long is it going to take you to burn through this baby?” The woman kept her voice calm as she questioned the thinnest member of the team, holding a welding tool within their hands.

 

“Twenty minutes, max.” He said, positioning himself at the foot of the door and preparing to burn through the locking system.

 

“Make it five,” The woman ordered before turning around to look behind her, “Damn it, Yixing must have caught on to us first if the alarm just triggered. I know I traced my steps correctly to avoid the detectors.”

 

“We can still make it out of here, right?” You gave her a worried look.

 

“Of course, there’s no way I’m letting them get their hands on you.” She spat angrily in the hall’s direction before looking you in the eye. “-Or the rest of us, we’re a team now.”

 

You nodded apprehesively at her.

 

_Right… I’m sure that’s what she meant._

You glanced up at the red light that was waning in and out of intensity.

 

_She said the sirens were triggered by…_

_Wait a second…_

It hit you like a brick to the gut.

 

You took in a deep breath and gulped before composing yourself.

 

“I thought you said you didn’t know anyone’s names.” You gave her a serious, questioning look.

 

“I- We don’t, but Yixing shows up everywhere to handle prisoners, so everyone knows him.” The woman’s voice stuttered just a little bit.

 

But that little bit was enough to send your nervous system on fire.

 

“How did you know what I was, or who I was.” You slowly started to back away from them against the wall. “I only ever told one person the name of my race, and I  _severely_  doubt he’d tell the likes of you.”

 

All three members of the team froze, and the woman looked into your eyes with enough ferocity and coldness to paralyze any weak-hearted organism.

 

She smirked. “And you were doing  _so_ well, miss seraphim.”

 

A chill went down your spine.

 

A weighty click sounded and the bolted door slid open a few inches.

 

“It’s good to go, Yoojin.” The scrawny one called out over his shoulder.

 

“It looks like we’ll have to take things from here.” The woman passed you a mischievous grin.

 

Before any other ideas entered your brain, you bolted down the hall as fast as you could, away from them.

 

_They weren’t here to rescue you-_

Your thoughts were cut short as you heard a gun fire behind you, and consequently, a thin sting at the back of your neck. You immediately reached behind you to pull it out, and as you examined it, came to find out it was enough milliliters of tranquilizer to knock out three full-grown men.

 

You made it a few more sluggish steps before your knees buckled and you slumped to the floor.

 

You heard footsteps approaching and shortly after were hoisted up and over a pair of broad shoulders.

 

_They were here to hurt you, you idiot, And by the looks of it-_

“Don’t worry, seraph,” The woman cackled behind you, keeping a hurried pace with her crew, “We’ll put that blood to some _real_ use.”

 

_-They seemed much worse than anything Chanyeol had in mind._

It was all you could do to send a silent prayer pleading for rescue to the vampires that dwelled in this god-forsaken place, before your vision split in two, and eventually faded along with your consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning on including the next chunk but that’d make it hella long and I wanted to make sure you guys got an adequate update sooner rather than later. If this snow holds up I might have time to get the next chapter in a few days! (It’ll be a doozy, so prepare to sweat… a lot…) Again, thank you so much for supporting this series! In no way did I expect it to get this much cred EVER so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!
> 
> I also didn’t have time to proof this so its ROUGH af. I apologize.
> 
> ~Nunchi


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: language, blood, torture, violence (its just a mess in general, y’all)

Someone was going to die. **  
**

And not just by execution. No, this kind of death was going to be excruciating and nightmarish. This kind of death would take place over the course of a few weeks, at the very least.

 

Chanyeol had nearly broken his hand, although successfully breaking the table he was sitting at in half, when he got the news that  you had been taken.

 

Yixing had returned to Chanyeol’s master room after forgetting to give you two extra water bottles, something he did on a usual basis in order to make sure you were remaining healthy and hydrated. The moment he entered the room and didn’t smell you, he threw the bottles to the ground and darted back out through the door. It wasn’t long before he sounded the alarm and sprinted to Chanyeol’s headquarters to alert him of your abduction.

 

Furious, for Chanyeol, was an understatement. He had so many questions, and not enough answers to quench hit burning anger. His stiff frame relaxed slightly only when Yixing told him that you had been tricked into leaving with them, instead of leaving on your own accord, due to the evidence.

 

If anyone other than Yixing had been in the room, death would have come for them warranted or not.

 

“Do you know who took her?” Chanyeol’s eyes were ravenous with rage and primal hunger for bloodshed as he paced back and forth across his war room.

 

“While there isn’t much physical proof,” Yixing crossed his arms, remaining inhumanly calm.“I could smell  _them_.”

 

 

Chanyeol stopped pacing abruptly, looking to Yixing with wide eyes.

“ _What_?”

 

“I wish I was kidding, Chanyeol, but there’s no mistaking it.”

 

Chanyeol grasped at his now-frizzled crimson locks in desperate frustration.

 

“So you’re telling me,” He took long strides towards Yixing, grabbing the collar of his shirt in panicked haste, “She got picked up by  _those_ wackjobs?”

 

Yixing held his composure, nodding slowly.

 

 _The Blacklight Clan,_ Chanyeol internally reminded himself _. They’ve been waiting for an opportunity to spread their barbarian, cult-like customs and animalistic torture techniques for decades now… But how did they know about you?_

Without another moment of hesitance, Chanyeol released his grip on Yixing’s shirt, turning around and continuing his angry pace.

 

“There’s a fucking  _spy_.” He growled

 

Chanyeol looked up at Yixing again after walking from one side of the room to the other several more times in haste.

 

“There’s been a  _goddamn_ mole, Yixing!” Chanyeol’s voice lost all composure, shrieking in fury as he swiped his hands across his desk, sending papers, files, and miscellaneous heavy objects crashing to the ground.

 

Chanyeol swung open the metal doors to a closet, opening the gates to his private armory. He began to rummage furiously through the different caches.

 

“I’ll be fucking damned if I let them get away with taking what I’ve claimed.” He muttered gruffly, grabbing his favored crossbow from the safe and loading arrows onto his ammunition case. “And if I get there, and they’ve laid so much as a scratch on her-”

 

Chanyeol stood up, swinging the crossbow over his shoulders and turning towards Yixing.

“-There’ll be more than hell to pay.”

 

* * *

 

Cinderblocks. It felt as though tons of cinderblocks were being pressed against your head, making so much as a simple twist of the neck unbearably painful.

 

All of your limbs felt cold and numb, and it was only after unsuccessfully attempting to move them that you realized your arms were suspended above you.

 

You forced your heavy eyelids open, but whatever dungeonous space you were being kept in was absent of all light, leaving you in an existential blackness that seemed to swallow your consciousness.

 

Your lips and throat ached from an obvious lack of fluid, and the combination of impaired senses made every breath, every movement, every  _thought_ cause varying degrees of pain.

 

“Looks like the little birdy’s awake.” A snarled, feminine voice sounded from an unknown source within the darkness.

 

Your throat hurt too much to express any of the numerous, flustering questions you had.

 

Suddenly, a bright, blinding flash appeared above you, making you wince against the wall you had been suspended on as a new wave of pain spread across the nerves in your brain.

 

“I must say,” A tall woman clad in worn, brown leather approached you, coming into the light. “I had my doubts on whether or not we’d actually be able to pull this off.”

 

As your vision readjusted to the intense glow of the lamp, you took in the woman’s features. Everything about her screamed twisted psychopath, causing the adrenaline in your system to spike.

 

“But now that I see you,” The woman closed the distance, sticking her warpaint-splattered face uncomfortably close to yours. “I’d say the loss was worth it to give that red-haired son of a bitch what he deserved.”

 

“How did you-” The dryness of your throat caused your words to sputter.

 

The woman gave a snarling grin as she forcefully grabbed the hair on your scalp, causing you to emit a soundless yelp in pain.

 

“We have our ways, little birdy.” A mere inch was left between her face and your own, forcing you to take in a discomforting, grotesque smell that was emitted from her breath.

 

“Your fire devil is going to suffer for the destruction he has caused our clan,” A shiver rippled across your spine as you felt the cool, thin metal of a knife blade press against your cheek, directly underneath your eye.

 

Your breathing involuntarily quickened, but you managed to control it. You refused to let this woman see you as weak.

 

You would not be the victim.

 

Not anymore.

 

“Holding in your composure, I see.” She gave you another twisted smile, curving the blade so that it pierced through the skin on your cheekbone, creating a lasting slice.

 

You shut your eyes firmly to prevent a shudder from spreading through your body.

 

“It won’t matter how long you think you’ll hold out, honey.” The knife left its proximity to your face, leaving behind a thin, steady stream of blood in its wake. “He isn’t going to be able to find you down here. No one is.”

 

You opened your eyes to give her a defiant glare.

 

She pulled away from your face and backed away into the shadows, smirking as she handed the knife to another person that remained obscured within the shadows.

 

“We’re so far underground, not even the most deafening sirens can be heard. So please,” The woman’s body had disappeared within the darkness entirely, leaving only her haunting voice to echo within the blackness. “Feel free to scream as much as you want.”

 

_Scream…_

_These people didn’t know…_

You cleared your throat in an attempt to see how audible you could make your voice, but were met disappointingly with an aching pain that prevented any noise from escaping.

 

_If I can’t scream-_

A soundless cry left your lungs as something long and thin had been thrust into your thigh, pushing all the way through until it hit the wall behind you.

 

You trembled violently, looking down at a metal rod that had skewered your leg. A rush of blood was now pouring from the wound. You looked back up to see a black, cloaked figure before you, his hand still firmly grasping the rod that he had stabbed you with.

 

“Collect what you can from the wound,” The woman’s voice sounded sternly, but you were unable to pinpoint her location as dizziness clouded the rest of your senses. “The informant said a single vial of her blood could be worth billions. We’re not letting that kind of money disappear.”

 

Another spasm overtook your body as the hooded man forcefully yanked the piece of metal from your leg, causing a steady stream of liquid to gush down to pool at your feet. You were starting to lose your grasp on your remaining situational awareness.

 

“Feel free to have as much fun with her as you want,” The sickeningly twisted female voice returned. “Just make sure to take every drop you can get from her.”

 

“As much fun as I want, huh?” The hooded figure’s voice sounded unsettlingly low.

 

You lifted your hooded eyelids, severely struggling to maintain as much of your consciousness as possible.

 

_If I blackout, I’m dead._

Another shiver sent your body into shock as you felt a rough hand brush across the length of your outstretched wings.

 

“Such a delicate creature.” The deep voice grumbled, thick fingers continuing to trace along the tips of your wings.

 

“I will take great pleasure in breaking you.”

 

You forcefully clenched your teeth, biting down on your cheek with enough force to draw blood, as another sharpened skewer was driven into your right wing with enough force that you heard your central tendons snap and crunch.

 

_You have to scream, (y/n), you have to, it’s your last chance…_

You felt cold steel against your skin again, this time sliding from your ankle, all the way up your bare leg until it met the thin, worn fabric of your nightgown.

 

“You’re our property now, lost little birdy.”

 

Your subconscious was threatening to disappear on you, and you fought with every psychological fiber in your being to stay awake.

 

You felt the same gruff hands trail from your waist to your un-injured thigh, hiking it up and pinning it against the wall.

 

_Scream, (y/n), scream!_

“Bring me the iron.” Your attention centered on the man as he called out to the darkness behind him, still keeping a painfully firm grip on your leg. “It’s time to teach this bitch who she belongs to.”

 

It was difficult to focus your vision on anything at the moment, but you pried your eyes as open as you could, a fear of the unknown sparking newfound energy.

 

You squinted.

 

There was a small, fuzzy, orange glow coming from a distance from within the room.

 

It got larger.

 

I came nearer.

 

Your heartbeat was sent into a panicked frenzy.

 

It was a branding iron. A threateningly auburn glow luminated from the tip of the rod, and you felt the heat that radiated from it as it was passed from an unknown pair of hands into the hands of your torturer.

 

_Scream, (y/n)…_

The cloaked face of the man came closer to your own, enough so to make the terrifyingly disturbing grin on his face visible to you.

 

_Scream…_

You heard the sizzling of the heated tip grow closer and closer to your leg.

 

_Scream!_

The second that the iron came into contact with your thigh, you released a guttural, piercing shriek from the deepest part of your being.

 

The sound resonated painfully off of the unknown boundaries of the black room’s walls.

 

Immediately, you heard the rod drop to the ground with a heavy clunk. The man who wielded it dropped down to his knees, covering his ears with his hands and grasping at his hair underneath the hood.

 

You closed your eyes and focused every ounce of energy within you on emitting the loudest scream you could muster.

 

_Please… Someone has to hear this._

_Chanyeol… Come find me…_

_Please…_

_Don’t leave me down here…_

An inhuman gurgle sounded from your esophagus as a pair of thick hands wrapped themselves around your throat, silencing your only chance of escape.

 

Your eyes flew open and your terrified gaze met that of your attacker’s infuriated one. His eyes radiated hatred and anger as he clamped down tighter, threatening to crush your windpipe.

 

_Please…_

Your vision darkened. The fight for air to your lungs halted, and you stilled your body in submissive defeat.

 

_Chan-_

_…Chanyeol…_

The door to the isolated black room flew from its hinges, allowing a steady beam of yellow light to enter.

 

Before you could process what was happening, the hooded man was ripped away from you; flung ferociously to the opposite wall.

 

You did your best to center your vision, but all you could catch was a flash of red flying back and forth across your vision.

 

Your hooded eyes sunk closed, leaving you to rely on your sense of hearing.

 

A choked gurgle.

 

A thick, sickening snap.

A silenced cry.

Once again, you mustered enough willpower to peak through the slit of your eyelids. As soon as you did so, the light from the broken-down door illuminated a sight you never thought you’d be so relieved to witness.

 

There stood Chanyeol. A littered array of broken bodies and dismembered limbs were scattered around him as he held your torturer against the wall opposite to you by the throat.

 

“You have no idea how much I’d like to take you back with me and make you pray for death as I break every bone, every ligament, ever  _fiber_ of your being over the course of several days.”

 

While you calmed at the sound of his voice, you noticed that it sounded darker, heavier,  _scarier_.

 

“Lucky for you however,” You saw the man clutch futily against Chanyeol’s one-handed grasp. “I’m rather short on time.”

 

And with that, Chanyeol wrapped his hands around the man’s head and snapped it at lightning speed. The body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

 

You let out a short cough as air began to supply life back into your being. This seemed to snap Chanyeol out of his murderous rage, as his head snapped in your direction. In the blink of an eye he was with you, releasing your wrists from their restraints hurriedly.

 

“Chan- Chanyeol..?” You croaked, barely audible through your cracked vocal chords.

 

“Shhhh, Shhhh.” Chanyeol finished untying your bonds and caught your broken, bloodied body in his arms.

 

“It’s alright Angel-cakes, I’m here. They can’t hurt you anymore.”

 

His deep, compassionate tone dulled your senses, threatening to make you drift off into sleep. His strong, reliable arms secured you underneath your neck and legs, and for the first time since you arrived on earth, you felt  _safe_.

 

“No no, Angel-cakes, stay with me here.” He nudged your head to reawaken your attention as he began to carry you out the door swiftly. “I need you to stay awake. Can you do that for me?”

 

* * *

 

The next few hours passed in a blur. Voices clamored together in a cacophonous mix of worry and anger. Your brain had stopped allowing the pain from your injuries to alarm you in a last-ditch effort for survival. Vision came and went so often that everything appeared to be made of paint and oil.

 

You saw dark halls.

 

Trees.

 

A red glow.

 

Flashes of incoherent images continued until you were ultimately met with the familiar sight of Chanyeol’s room. An intense ringing in your ears returns as you prepare to be locked back inside your cage. To your surprise, however, you feel a cold softness against your back as you lean against several pillows.

 

Chanyeol had placed you on his bed.

 

Your eyelids felt like sandpaper, and you fought the incessant urge to open them or blink.

 

“Give her a shot of adrenaline, Yixing, she’s fading too quickly.”

 

You felt a dull prick of a needle as it entered your shoulder. In a split second, your nervous system went from comatose to hyperstimulated. Your eyes flew opened and you audibly heaved for air as your heart rate quickened. Your wide-eyed gaze met both Chanyeol’s and Yixing’s as they hovered over you attentively.

 

“I was able to stop the bleeding, Chanyeol, but she’s sustained multiple minor injuries besides the stab wounds.” Yixing’s familiar, calm voice sounded above you and you stared into his eyes in an induced frenzy.

 

“I’ll get the antibiotics and painkillers from your bathroom-”

 

“No,” Chanyeol grabbed his friend’s arm as he stood to leave.

 

“I want to be the one to heal her.” His eyes turned to you, his expression glossed over in sadness. “It’s my fault she’s like this.”

 

You continued to breathe heavily, too focused on your medically-heightened senses to speak.

 

Yixing seemed reluctant for several more moments, his gaze passing back and forth between you and Chanyeol. “Alright, but if her condition goes unstable, you have to let me know.”

 

Chanyeol nodded. Yixing left.

 

“Just sit tight, I’ll be right back.” He gave you a reassuring smile before heading past doors that led to a separate corridor within his room. You assumed by the large mirror that you could make out that it was his bathroom.

 

By the time he returned with a metal pail full of medical supplies, your breathing had calmed significantly, and your eyes were much less dry.

 

Silence permeated the air as Chanyeol got to work tending to your cuts and bruises. It was a tender, repetitive cycle of rinsing your injuries with a washcloth, applying medication, and delicately sticking or wrapping bandages around them.

 

It was so unlike him.

 

Neither of you spoke a word, your eyes only meeting occasionally as mended your wounds.

 

Chanyeol leaned forward on the bed, closing the distance between the two of you. You flushed, doing your best to hide all emotion in your face as he tilted your head delicately and began to gently dab at the slice across your cheek. After cleaning the wound, Chanyeol dipped his index finger into the jar of thick, oily ointment, and began to smear it tenderly across your cheek. You winced as his finger brushed against the open gash.

 

Chanyeol immediately pulled his hand back.

 

“I’m sorry.” His apology caught you off guard.

 

“These hands have become rather-” He gave himself a sad, knowing smile, looking down at his own palms while slightly twitching a few of his fingers.. “… _Rough_ … Over the past few years…”

 

“It’s alright.” Your voice came out small and vulnerable.

 

He looked up from his hands and met your eyes. “Did they hurt you… Anywhere else?”

 

You shut your eyes and pushed your head further against the pillows in an attempt to hide from his scrutinous gaze.

 

_He hadn’t seen your burns._

“Where did they hurt you?” Chanyeol’s voice deepened to a terrifying octave as he put emphasis on each syllable, and you cowered away from his words.

 

“It’s such a disgrace… I can’t-” You choked on a sob that threatened to escape.

 

Chanyeol caught a tear as it escaped from the corner of your eye with his thumb.

 

“Trust works both ways, Angel-cakes.” The delicate softness of his deep voice returned, comforting you. “…I can smell the burns, regardless of what you tell me.”

 

You opened your eyes slowly, still refusing to look at him.

 

“Can I see them?”

 

The quiet, ardent tone of his question began to break down your walls.

 

“Will you let me heal them?”

 

You shut your eyes closed once more in resignation and nodded.

 

You did your best to ignore the pain shooting through your legs as you tried to move them apart as best you could. Chanyeol made sure to keep the edge of your nightgown as low as possible as he hiked it up to examine the singed skin along your thigh. You shivered as he slowly slid his hand up the underside of your leg, raising it to get a better angle of your burns. He let out a small huff and pursed his lips inwards before taking the ointment and gingerly applying it to the puffy, red areas.

 

You winced, clutching onto the sheets as sharp, stinging sensations flooded your brain.

 

Chanyeol kept a firm grip on your leg to combat your feeble thrashing. He finished his work quickly, keeping your leg levitated as he wrapped several layers of gauze around your thigh.

 

“See?” He smiled at you, gently setting you leg back down on the mattress. “That wasn’t so bad, now was it?”

 

You bit your lip and nodded. He outstretched his hand to sweep a sweaty cluster of hair away from your eyes, but you flinched away from his grasp.

 

Chanyeol halted in his movements, allowing you time to recognize his harmless intent.

 

“I’ll stay here until you fall asleep, and I won’t leave until Yixing comes back to watch you, alright?”

 

The medication began to kick in at the same time the adrenaline was wearing off, slowing your breathing and causing weariness to return. Chanyeol sighed and continued to stroke your hair attentively as you drew closer to unconsciousness.

 

“I’m not going to hurt you Angel-cakes.” The bass in his voice continued to spread warmth across your senses, lulling you to a state of relaxation.

 

“ _Not anymore_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT’S HEREEEEEEE!! Sorry for the long wait guys. I’m also sorry it’s slightly shorter than usual, but I spent 6 hours after exams in order to give you guys a proper update! I oneshotted this, so there will be inevitable typos… please be patient with me… AS ALWAYS, FEEL FREE TO GIVE ME FEEDBACK ON THIS ONE, GUYS!! THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT IT!!
> 
> ~Nunchi <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language

For the first time since you could remember, you slept peacefully.

You dreamed of home. Of the lush grassy fields that tickled your fingertips as you ran your hands across the brush. Of the sunlight that flittered through the mosaic of leafy branches that spawned from burly oaks. Of the bustling city life, full of seraphim working hard to bring justice and peace to earth. You were reliving the day when you first arrived on the job. You were in charge of aiding in the interrogation of a rogue seraph; one who had allegedly committed the homicide of a human by convincing them to jump off of a skyscraper. You were beyond nervous. Pushing your large-framed glasses up your nose bridge, you hugged the files you were holding closer to your chest. Then you opened the door. You expected to see the wanted criminal sitting down with his hands cuffed to the chair he sat on.

But you didn’t.

He wasn’t there.

No one was.

The only image you were greeted with was the violent, red flashing of lights as sirens began to sound.

He had escaped. It was your first day on the job, and the latent serial killer had escaped.

Your chest clenched painfully, suffocating the air around you. The red lights were flashing…

Flashing…

Flashing…

* * *

 

You jerked upwards, sitting up and gasping for air. Red light pulsated across the room in a steady rhythm, the alarm blaring dully in sync.

Something was wrong. Something was very,  _very_ wrong.

 

 

You threw off the covers, wincing as you received a painful reminder of your multitude of injuries. The gauze Chanyeol had placed around your thigh was now moderately absorbed with blood. You clutched the bandages as a searing pain shot through your leg. You hopped off the bed and limped into the bathroom in search of clean bandages. However, as soon as you began to avidly search the contents of the shelves, you heard someone enter the room.

Chanyeol..?

“Search the room, don’t let her escape.”

_No… That isn’t the voice of Chanyeol. That isn’t the voice of anyone I know._

“Make sure she’s unconscious when you find her, we can’t have her putting up a fight.”

_That isn’t the voice of someone who wants to help me, either_

Your fight or flight instincts kicked in, allowing you to dart across the bathroom to the wall right beside the open doorway leading into it. You heard the pair of footsteps getting closer and you closed your eyes in an attempt to calm yourself.

_There’s no telling how many more of them there are, or how many will find out where I am if I scream…_

You quickly glanced around the room for something, anything that you could use. Your eyes settled on the floor to your right, were a slender lead pipe was leaning enticingly against the wall beside you. Without a second thought, you clutched it between your sweaty palms.

“Come out, come out,” A raspy, low voice growled from right outside the doorway, “You little feathered beast.”

You saw two dark silhouettes stretch out across the bathroom floor; they were right outside.

As soon as one of the invaders took their first step past the doorway, you didn’t hesitate.

With as much strength as you could muster, you swung the lead pipe. It made contact with a discomforting crack, followed by a booming shriek of pain.

You lept in front of the bathroom entrance, getting a view of your attackers. Both were clad in red and black leather, with menacing amounts of tattoos and colored hair to complete the intimidating look. One of them had taken the direct force of your iron pipe to the face, while the other stood behind him in shock.

“You little bitch-” The second one stepped over his comrade’s crumpled form as he hunched over, clutching his bloodied face and yowling in pain. “-Just wait til I get my hands on you.”

He made his way across the marble  floor to you, but your survival instinct was quicker.

Before you let your brain have the chance to rethink it, you rushed up to meet him, landing a swift but brutal strike against the back of the man’s knee, effectively crippling him.

As he fell to the ground with a grunt, you followed your previous attack with one aimed to the back of the head. But, before the pipe could come into contact with the man’s skull, he had reached behind and caught it within his grasp.

You shook the pipe to dismantle it from his grip, but to no avail. The man looked up from the floor and sent you a sickening grin. The pipe was ripped away from your hands, sending you to the ground with a thud.

The man was on top of you instantly, before you could react. His legs straddled your hips, effectively pinning you to the floor. The disturbing grin remained plastered on his inked face as he wrapped his hands around your throat.

You began to choke, flailing your arms helplessly as they searched for any tool, any form of relief.

You vision began to darken, but not before your right hand had found what it was looking for.

 

An empty glass bottle.

Without another moment to spare, you grasped the head of the bottle and brought it down upon your attacker’s head as hard as you possibly could. The bottle smashed over the man’s skull, causing his unconscious body weight to come crashing down on top of you.

You coughed, both as a result of air returning to your lungs, as well as the limp body that was crushing you. You shoved him off of you and pulled yourself to your feet before darting out of the bathroom, avoiding the other man’s feeble attempts to trip you.

_I have to get out of here._

The red lights and siren droned on in the distance as you tiptoed out of the large gateway, and out of Chanyeol’s room.

* * *

You didn’t know how long you had been walking for, turning around a seemingly endless maze of corridors, before you heard the gunfire.

The noise came from behind you, and you found yourself desperately trying to pry open a heavy metal door. Where it led, you didn’t know, but what you did know was that you had to keep running.

After straining your muscles for what seemed like an eternity, you were able to pull the bulky door open. Once inside, you pressed your back against it in order to seal off whatever was behind you outside. Once you turned around, you found yourself in a massive, garage-like warehouse. Large black vans, jeeps, and other large terrain vehicles littered the concrete floor. The ceiling appeared to be high enough to house a skyscraper.

You were abruptly broken from your analysis of the scene as the sound of an argument echoed from across the warehouse.

The yelling was getting louder, closer.

You darted to hide behind the vehicle closest to you: a black sedan.

You peeked your head from around the trunk of the car. You were surprised to feel a sense of relief as you saw the familiar faces of Chanyeol’s men. The familiar look of the long, black leather dusters with their hair done up oddly comforted you. There were four of them, in total, but neither Chanyeol himself or Yixing were anywhere to be seen. His men, however, were facing off against three unidentifiable figures, although due to their looks you assumed they were part of the attacking gang’s party.

“Listen, Kyungsoo, by now our men have already captured your little angel friend, so it’s only in your best interest to cooperate with our demands.” The tallest member of the enemy’s gang spat threateningly at a recognizable man with raven-black hair.

The shorter, but no less threatening, member of Chanyeol’s team chuckled darkly, and sent the enemy a venomous grin.

“You realize you won’t be leaving here alive, right?”

All three of the enemy gang visibly fumbled back in surprise.

“But-” The leader of the group pointed his finger at Kyungsoo as he fumbled with his words. “But-… We have your wild card!”

“As I said,” Kyungsoo cracked his knuckles, his men preparing themselves behind him, “You won’t be leaving here alive- especially not with angel’s blood running through our veins.”

You struggled to muffle a gasp.

“You’re kidding- there’s no way that you’ve been able to harness the power that quick-”

You threw your hands over your mouth to cover a scream that came out instinctively.

In the blink of an eye, Kyungsoo had darted forward and ripped the enemy leader’s throat out with his bare hands. 

 

The other men were quick to turn their tails and run away.

But they didn’t stand a chance.

The other three members of Chanyeol’s gang lept forwards and brought the enemy to their demise like rabid wolves to a defenseless pack of deer.

Although you did your best to silence the sob that threatened to become audible, a small squeak escaped your throat. It echoed across the warehouse, through the silence of the bloody aftermath.

Kyungsoo’s head snapped in your direction, his eyes still aflame with violent hunger, his right hand still coated in blood.

You whipped your head back around the edge of the car and pressed your back against the door, praying to just remain hidden and be left alone for once.

In less than a second, however, Kyungsoo had used his inhuman speed to appear at your side in a flash. You opened your mouth to release a sob, but as you looked up at him, his eyes were filled only with soft sympathy and concern. He put a bloodied finger up to his lips in a hushing motion.

“Shhhh, it’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you,” He voice was low and surprisingly soothing to your ears. “I’m Kyungsoo, one of Chanyeol’s men, it’s okay.”

You choked on a sob and nodded lightly, your heartbeat refusing to quiet.

“My men and I are under Chanyeol’s orders to keep you safe, alright? We won’t let anything happen to you.”

You nodded once again, taking the non-bloodied hand that he stretched out to you.

He pulled you out from behind the car and back towards his group.

“We need to get her to the bunker,” He barked orders at his men. “Kai, Chen, go ahead and see if there are any more rats lying in wait. Baekhyun, stay close to me and the seraph.”

All three men nodded. The ones called Kai and Chen took the lead, guiding the five of you towards the exit of the warehouse, while the one referred to as Baekhyun brought up the rear. You struggled to keep up with their pace as they made their way across the garage floor. Kyungsoo noticed your limping and swung your arm around his shoulder for support.

You thought you would be safe as long as you made it to the exit.

You were wrong.

As soon as Kai and Chen made it to the door, they peeked through the small opening. Before anyone had proper time to react, Chen pulled Kai back from the door and shouted towards the rest of us.

“Get back! It’s a bomb!”

And explosion rang out across the vacuumous space, causing both you and Kyungsoo to come crashing to the ground.

The bomb was small and far away enough so that no one was caught in its blast, but your ears began to ring loudly and painfully after the shock.

“It’s a trap! We have to get her out of here!” Kai helped the both of you up, and at that exact moment, gunshots began to echo through the empty warehouse.

All five of you took cover behind a large black van, bullets pelting the glass of the surrounding vehicles. Kyungsoo covered your head as the window above you was shot down, sending needle-like pieces of glass over his body.

“That’s the only other way out of here! They rigged the other exit as well!” Baekhyun yelled over the gunfire.

Kyungsoo looked to his right and left. “There’s another way.”

He motioned towards the wall a several feet away from you.

“She’s small enough to fit through the vents.”

You gave Kyungsoo a surprised look, but he returned it with a stoic one that gave away no emotion.

“It’s the only way we can get you out of here alive, seraph.” Kyungsoo explained calmly.

You bit your lip and nodded.

“Alright then. Kai and Chen, you two give us some cover fire while Baekhyun and I get her to the wall.”

“Yes sir!” All three voices sounded in unison.

Before you could fully process what was happening, Kyungsoo took your hand and began to sprint across the warehouse floor, darting behind vehicle to vehicle for intermittent cover and Baekhyun followed closely behind. By the time you made it to the wall, your legs were screaming to you in pain. You did your best to block out the sharp, stinging sensations and focused on following Kyungsoo’s instructions.

“Listen, our clan is under attack from our most powerful rivals. If they find you, they will not hesitate to take you with them. They’ll kill you if it suits their purpose better, alright?” Kyungsoo stared deep into your eyes.

You nodded, doing your best to remain calm amidst the pelting of bullets around you.

“Kyungsoo, they’re getting closer!” Baekhyun yelled, doing his best to give sufficient cover fire from the corner of the van.

“You’re going to crawl through this vent. You are going to keep going straight until you reach a fork, then you are going to take a left until you find yourself outside of the bunker room.”

A bullet whizzed into the rear-view mirror of the van you were hiding behind, sending shards of glass to the floor.

Kyungsoo grabbed your shoulders, “Do you understand!?”

You nodded violently, stopping the tears that threatened to fall and forcing yourself to remain strong.

“Good.”

Without another word, kyungsoo ripped open the ventilation grate and ushered you inside. It was shoulder-room only, and your wings were uncomfortably pressed against your back, but that didn’t stop you from beginning to crawl as fast as you could without looking back.

You kept pulling yourself forward, the cuts on your legs screaming for some form of pain relief. Eventually, the noise of the gunfire dulled and you found yourself at a fork in the ventilation system’s path just as Kyungsoo had said.

You turned left, continuing to shuffle your body weight through the cramped space until you saw light at the end the very end of your line of sight.

The air felt tighter and you were getting desperate as you increased your speed. The exit was so close. So close. The pain from your injuries was almost unbearable at this point, but you refused to relent.

You reached the ventilation grate and a small amount of relief washed through your system as you took in the orange glow that flittered through the slits. You immediately turned around and with a final push of energy, began to kick adamantly at the grate. You were losing strength quickly, but on the seventh attempt, the bolts finally loosened and allowed you escape.

You reached your arms outside and heaved yourself through the hole, gasping for air as it hit you. You stumbled to pull yourself to your feet, clutching your leg as it throbbed with an intense ache.

You didn’t even have time to readjust to your surroundings when you were met with the scene in front of you.

Here you were, in another open warehouse that was lit by a single, orange lamp dangling overhead.

And there was Chanyeol, standing several feet away from you. He staring down another man that stood near the entrance of the warehouse, also several feet apart from each other.

Both eyes turned to you: Chanyeol’s in shock and the other man’s in amusement.

“Well isn’t this just dandy?” The opposing man from the other side of the room bellowed.

He wore a brown duster and leather pants. He was threateningly as tall as, if not taller than Chanyeol.

“Your little seraph friend decided to join us at the perfect time amidst our little conversation.” His voice was smooth and charismatic, but it met your ears with venomous intent.

“She has nothing to do with this Kris,” Chanyeol returned the acidic gaze. “This is between you and me.”

“She has nothing to do with this?” Kris scoffed, “My old friend, she has everything to do with this.”

Your gaze darted between the two men in utter confusion.

_What the hell is going on?_

 

“And here I thought we were past this, Kris.” Chanyeol began to inch his way towards you, keeping his vicious gaze dead set on the enemy.

 

Kris grinned maliciously, reaching behind his jacket and pulling out handgun. His twisted smile grew at his pointed the barrel at Chanyeol.

 

“So what,” Chanyeol laughed, “You’re just going to shoot me?”

 

Kris released a short laugh, throwing his head back.

 

“Of course not,” He smiled menacingly.

 

His arm tilted, and the barrel of the gun was now pointed directly at your heart.

 

“I’m going to shoot her.”

 

Your heartbeat quickened and you looked at Chanyeol worriedly.

 

“Chan-” You squeaked.

 

You didn’t have time to react before a flash of black rushed across your vision.

 

A gunshot rang out across the room.

 

Kris had fired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I did my best to fit in a short update this weekend due to my hectic schedule x_x I’ll try to do better in the future, but in the meantime, please continue to give this series your love (and, as always, FEEDBACK~)
> 
> ~Nunchi


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: language, violence, blood, mentions of abuse

While your body reverberated violently from the shock of the bullet, it never penetrated your skin. Instead, a large body had collided into yours with a heavy  _thud_. **  
**

 

It was Chanyeol.

 

Time stood still as your gazes met, both of you coming to the brusque realization that he had been shot. You looked into his unwavering eyes with your fearful ones, slowly trailing your gaze down to the spot on his chest where blood began to pool through his shirt.

 

“No… No, no no no, Chanyeol-” Your eyes started to tear up reflexively as Chanyeol’s body started to slump on top of your own.

 

You did your best to wrap your arms around his torso, easing his harsh descent onto the concrete floor. As you laid him down, you noticed his eyes drift in and out of focus. You didn’t hesitate to brush the hair from his face, moving his jacket away from his chest to inspect the extent to which the bullet had done its damage.

 

“Goddamnit- I really need to stop being a hero sometimes.” Chanyeol croaked, closing his eyes and wincing from the effects of his wound.

 

“Chanyeol,  _damn it_ , stay with me!” You wouldn’t let your captor be defeated so easily, wouldn’t let him get away with hurting you as much as he did so easily.

 

 

“You still fall for the same tricks, my old friend. I knew there was no way you’d stand by and let your little winged friend here take the bullet.” Kris’s voice sounded from behind you. “But, it looks to me like I get to kill two birds with one stone.”

 

You whipped your head around, making eye contact with the attacker from across the room. He tucked the gun back into its holster, sending you a malicious grin as he began to make his way towards you.

 

“And this little canary will be coming with me.”

 

You turned your attention back to Chanyeol rapidly just in time to see him eject a spurt of blood from his lungs. You scooted closer to him, positioning yourself to face Kris’s approach and cradling Chanyeol’s head in your hands delicately.

 

“This will hurt…” You leaned down and spoke quiety into Chanyeol’s ears.

 

Kris was getting closer, his confidence evident through his strut as he closed the distance. You cupped your hands around Chanyeol’s ears, applying as much pressure as you could to prevent as much noise from entering his ear drums as possible.

 

“-I’m sorry.”

 

You looked up, sending Kris a fierce gaze. One filled with anger, one filled with pure, unadulterated animosity. The primal instinct for survival burned beneath your pupils, igniting the desire for retribution hidden deep within you. Before your better judgement could hinder your actions, you pressed your palms harder against Chanyeol’s head protectively, releasing an earsplitting, high-pitched shriek that had the floors vibrating.

 

Kris immediately dropped to the ground, clutching his ears as an intense, fire-like pain shot through his nervous system. He cried out and began to grasp clumps of his hair, pulling that them violently in agony. Despite the successful execution of your powers however, Kris struggled to his knees and looked up at you, a terrifying amount of absolute fury visible in his eyes.

 

He growled, and began to launch himself in your direction, sprinting with inhuman speed.

 

In the blink of an eye, he was leering above you. Your cries were choked out as he clutched your throat suffocatingly with one hand. He stared you down, glowering mercilessly as your body trembled in fear.

 

“That was a mistake,  _Canary_.” Kris spat, tightening his grip around your windpipe. “One that you will regret for a long, long time.”

 

This was it. You were done for.

 

As Chanyeol’s body stilled beneath you, you knew he couldn’t save you.

 

An all-too familiar sense of weariness overtook your body as the oxygen depletion took its toll on your brain.

 

A single shot resounded across the room, however, and your state of arousal was immediately heightened. Kris let out a guttural yell, releasing his grasp on your throat almost instantly. You slumped to your knees on the ground, clutching your bruised neck and gasping for air. You looked up, and saw Kris reeling over in pain, a steady stream of fresh blood spewing from the spot he was grasping harshly.

 

Another shot rang out, and before you could process all that was happening, Kris straightened up as best he could before scrambling off past your and Chanyeol’s broken frames, towards the back exit.

 

With the view of the front entrance no longer obscured, your eyes were blessed with the sight of your savior:

 

 _Kyungsoo_.

 

The black-haired man halted only temporarily after firing the last shot from his handgun, and began to sprint towards You and Chanyeol. Once he skidded to a halt, his eyes tracked Kris’s movements as he watched him escape out the back door. Instead of pursuing, however, Kyungsoo knelt down beside you, his hand gently moving your own away from your neck for him to inspect the damage Kris had done.

 

“I’ll heal. I’m glad I wasn’t too late.” His deep, serious voice calmed your nerves, but did nothing to quench your adrenaline-induced, heightened sense of hysteria as you turned his attention towards Chanyeol’s limp body.

 

“I think you might be,” You whimpered, using what was left of your strength to rip open Chanyeol’s shirt with trembling hands. “He was barely conscious a few seconds ago, and I don’t know how long it will be before he goes into shock-”

 

Words escaped you, causing you to silence yourself in pure shock as you pulled away the area of Chanyeol’s shirt that was stained with blood.

 

There was no bullet hole. No wound.

 

“But- how did-” You looked up from to wound towards Chanyeol’s face, where you were met with his familiar, charismatic grin.

 

“He  _did_ shoot me with a bullet full of vervain, the nastiest vampire repellent out there.” He coughed briefly before beginning to sit up, smirking at the level of utter shock that was evident in your expression. “Hope you don’t mind I kept a small supply of your blood on hand in case Kris decided to pull punches.”

 

He winked at you. But this sense of arrogance was short-lived as he cried out in pain once you used your remaining force to angrily punch him in the arm.

 

You should’ve expected someone as cunning and meticulous as Chanyeol to pull something like this. However, what you weren’t expecting was the odd, yet overwhelming sense of relief you felt once you knew he was okay. What made you so genuinely concerned for him?

 

Kyungsoo cleared his throat, keeping a respectful distance from the two of you.

 

“Sir, it’s my fault Kris got away, I will assume full responsibility for-”

 

“Escaped or not, you prevented him from abducting our most valuable resource.” Chanyeol’s eyes flashed from Kyungsoo’s to yours briefly.

 

_A resource… That’s still all I am to them…_

“But sir, I still-” Kyungsoo was adamant.

 

“All this means is that we know what their objective is.” Chanyeol rebuttoned his shirt and fixed his jacket, standing to his feet. “I say it’s our turn to pay them a visit.”

 

Your mind went into a lifeless haze, your eyes glazed over dully, nearly all of the fight within you now depleted. The events of the last hour had now taken their toll on your mind and body, leaving you in a drained state of exhaustion. In addition to the pain and lethargy that had overtaken your system, a blinding headache rooted itself between your temples.

 

You were interrupted from diagnosing your pain when a blur of an outstretched hand crossed your vision. Chanyeol’s hand. You accepted the gesture, currently too weak to exert much energy on your own. He shocked you with the speed and amount of strength he used to pull you up from the ground to his side, extending both arms around your waist to support you as dizziness caused your equilibrium to waver.

 

“Let’s get you cleaned up, Angel-cakes.”

 

* * *

 

 

You were too exhausted to process much on the way back to Chanyeol’s room. The monotonous blend of corridors made the path you had taken indistinguishable, leaving nothing but an opaque memory in your mind. As soon as Chanyeol helped you through the door, your heart rate quickened as your eyes locked onto the door of the loathsomely recognizable cage. Chanyeol seemed to notice this and continued to usher you further into the room.

 

“Don’t worry, Angel-cakes. I’m not going to lock you in there anymore.” His voice was abnormally stern, as though he was angry only at himself. “We’ve already proven that there are more complications that come from outside of the cage, than from the inside. Not to mention there are more important concerns to both you and me than another escape attempt.”

 

He made sure you were seated comfortably on his bed before heading into the bathroom in search of first aid.

 

 _Chanyeol’s orders must move quickly,_ You thought to yourself, noticing the lack of maimed bodies on the bathroom floor. There were no traces left that you had just fought for your life in that enclosed space mere hours ago. You lost count of the number of time you’ve  _had_ to fight for your life down here.  _At this point,_  your brain had come to accept the constant threat to your life as a normality. You wanted to scoff at how disgusted you were at yourself. Your nonchalant attitude towards these people’s desires of manipulating you or killing you was becoming like white noise that took up residence in the back of your mind.  _At this point_ , you didn’t even know if something as drastic as death could release you from the mental and physical torture you had experienced.

 

The bed dipped and alerted you to Chanyeol’s presence beside you as you kept your gaze on the concrete floor.

 

The familiar sting of ointment on your scrapes was now nothing more than a dull pinching sensation to you as Chanyeol tended to your minor injuries.

 

“Speaking of, say you  _were_ actually able to escape from my custody. Do you even know how to get back to where you came from?”

 

You bit your lip and resisted the way in which your eyes began to water.

 

You simply shook your head, burning your eyes into the ground.

 

No. You didn’t. All you knew was the rumor that a gate would open once in a blue moon that would allow a seraph of any rank to be cast down to earth. That’s all it was to you. A rumor. That was, of course, until you were mercilessly betrayed and cast down to this hellish territory by that exact method.

 

An uncomfortable silence permeated the air as chanyeol finished cleaning up the cuts on your face and arms, hopping off of the bed to squat down at your feet.

 

“We’ll be attacking their base soon.” His large, warm hands on the underside of your leg as he searched for bruises caused you to shiver. “Kyungsoo was able to interrogate an enemy hostage for information.”

 

You winced as Chanyeol’s fingers applied pressure to your swollen ankle.

 

“Definitely sprained,” He sighed, digging around in his med kit for a proper bandage.

 

He continued speaking as he did he best to wrap the gauze and ACE wrap around your foot, “Apparently, our rivals, Monsta X and Big Bang, have decided to form an alliance. Kris thought it best to kiss up to those in power, so consequently, he’s their go-to man. Also, according to what information we’ve received-”

 

He tugged tightly on the bandage, securing the knot and causing your to wince and clench your eyes shut in discomfort.

 

“-They still have their own seraph within their custody.”

 

Your eyes flew open, meeting Chanyeol’s unreadable gaze.

 

“From what information we’ve been able to scramble together in the past few hours, we are now enemy number one.” Chanyeol retrieved a small, plastic bag full of ice, placing it underneath your ankle and holding it there. “We’re the biggest threat to power they’ve ever faced now, because we have the same instrument of destruction that they do.”

 

He looked up at you, his previously indecipherable tone giving way for a small sense of amusement. “We have a seraph of our own, and they aren’t too pleased about that.”

 

“Unfortunately,” He continued, moving his hands to examine your other leg, “We are still aware that there is a spy amongst our ranks, which could add way more complications to the plan that I’m comfortable with. And if there’s one thing I hate, it’s complications.”

 

Chanyeol’s searching hands discovered a raised bruise, and you jerked your leg instinctively.

 

He let out a short laugh. “I’m sorry, I’m still not used to tending to other people’s needs.”

 

“It’s alright.” You replied in a small, dull voice.

 

Chanyeol pursed his lips inwards, returning his focus to inspecting your leg. “Despite feeling really fucking pissed off that I have a traitor in my ranks, it can be used to my advantage. Ultimately, our goal is to get in there and extract their seraph, effectively removing them as a threat to us.”

 

He finished applying fresh gauze to the old burns on your thighs, packing up his supplies before turning to you and looking into your eyes with a stark intensity.

 

“I can eliminate the threat, but I will need your unwavering cooperation.” His voice deepened, any previous sense of amusement or humor now abandoned. “I’m hoping that by asking politely, I can get it, and that would make things much, much more easier not only for me, but for you.”

 

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath.

 

 _The less enemies you had that wanted to hurt you, the better._  

 

You couldn’t find a reason to disagree with Chanyeol’s proposition. You breathed out, nodding in compliance to his request.

 

“Okay, here’s the plan, Angel-cakes,” You opened your eyes to see Chanyeol giving you a slight smirk. “But I know you aren’t going to like it.”

 

* * *

 

You had to hand it to him, Chanyeol was honest when he said that you’d be uncomfortable with his plan. Every fiber of your being was screaming at you, begging you not to go through with this. But, you knew all too well the outcome of that, and you decided to face the opposition head on, and with as much courage and confidence as possible to up this mission’s chances of success.

 

To his credit, though, Chanyeol had given you the freedom of your own movements, deciding not to cuff you or restrain you in any way as you were loaded into one of the many black vans that littered the garage.

 

It didn’t cross your mind to count the amount of time spent riding inside the van, as you were too preoccupied with thoughts of your role in this plan. The role that did not have leniency for mistakes.

 

“Are you ready?” Chanyeol asked you in an emotionless tone from the seat across from yours. “Not that by any stretch of the imagination that I think you are, I just thought I’d give you the courtesy of asking.”

 

_Oh, really? How inexplicably kind of you._

 

“If my role in all of this is as straightforward as you said it is, then I really won’t have to be ready to do much of anything.” You replied in a detached tone.

 

“That’s true, but do not be mistaken,” Chanyeol didn’t look at you as he responded, being too focused on loading some menacing, fierce-looking steel arrows into his crossbow, “There is no room for failure. The stake of this plan is our lives. Don’t forget that.”

 

You could only nod, lowering your gaze to your hands, which were placed nervously in your lap.

 

Your heart leapt into your throat once the van came to a halt. The sliding door opened, and everyone was ushered out of the vehicle. Chanyeol held on, rather firmly, to your elbow, forcing you to match his brisk pace as he and his crew approached the entrance to a large, seemingly abandoned warehouse.

 

In total, there were five members accompanying Chanyeol on this mission, and the seven of you found yourselves entirely alone in the desolate parking lot outside of the building.

 

Due to the way the adrenaline was affecting you, anywhere from two to twenty minutes could’ve passed as all of you stood there in complete silence, standing your ground in the open space.

 

Eventually, one of the heavy, metal door from the front of the warehouse opened, and eight men made their way across the parking lot to you. Kris, you noticed, was among them.

 

Leaving several meters to spare, the two gangs were now staring each other down.

 

“Why’re you here, Yeol? I distinctly remember you telling me and my associates here to fuck off during our last meeting with each other.” Kris was shooting daggers with the glare he was giving Chanyeol, his infuriated glare travelling over to you shortly after, causing you to cower as a reflex.

 

“I contacted your bosses, and we decided to come to an agreement.” Without another word, Chanyeol forcefully shoved you out into the open in front of him.

 

Chanyeol’s voice was colder than you ever remember it being. “We get five million in exchange for the seraph.”

 

This was his plan. You were to be handed off to the enemy. Under false pretenses, of course, as Chanyeol assured you that he would have his men ready to intercept the transaction inside, allowing you to investigate the brig in search of the enemy’s seraph. Chanyeol, however, strategically left out the details of his plan. Whether this was for security, in case you were caught, or for the sake of you being forced to go with the flow, you were unsure.

 

You shivered, the wind causing goosebumps to ripple across your bare arms and legs as you stood completely and totally vulnerable to the enemy.

 

“What made you accept the deal so quickly, then? It’s not like you to relinquish power once you’ve had the taste for it. And for what, the sake of money?” Kris scoffed at Chanyeol, eyeing your body up and down skeptically.

 

“We’ve taken what we’ve wanted from her, and we’ve found the results of our experimentation to be a complete failure. As far as special abilities are concerned, her blood is utterly useless. Still, your bosses have claimed an interest in seeing what they can mess around with, so, I’ve merely decided to become an opportunist. She’s been thoroughly drugged, so you won’t have any issues with her attempting to escape.”

 

Kris still looked thoroughly unconvinced, but at the confirmation of one of his men that this deal, was, in fact, legitimate and authorized by the boss, he relented. He nodded to his men, keeping his gaze transfixed on Chanyeol.

 

In an instant, hands were on you, beginning to drag you off towards Kris and his gang.

 

You were beginning to fear the possibility that your worst fear had come true. Worry and doubt collided within your mind, causing you to question everything you had been told. You looked over your shoulder to see Chanyeol standing here, his arms crossed, with a sinisterly emotionless expression.

 

_There wasn’t a chance that… Chanyeol could have been lying… Right?_

Fear manipulated your commitment to remain loyal to the mission’s directive, and you turned your head once more in Chanyeol’s direction.

 

“Ch- Chanyeol!-” You were silenced quickly as a gag was tied and secured around your mouth, effectively muffling your worried pleas.

 

A cloth sack was placed over your head, sending your vision into total darkness. Your breathing hastened as you came to the realization that what Chanyeol was saying could very well have been true. They hadn’t seen the need to extensively experiment on you, and for all you knew, your blood could have become useless over time, being effective for only a short while after consumption. Still, if Chanyeol was serious about leaving you with his worst enemies, then why lie about being drugged? These doubts were building within your mind, slowly plaguing your senses with dread and uncertainty.

 

The sound of the thick, metal doors closing behind you seemed to confirm your worst fears. With your vision and speech impaired, all you felt was the rough, expedited ways in which you were manhandled and transferred from person to person. Before you knew it, you were being led very quickly through a long hallway, only to be halted after a few minutes of struggling to keep pace with your current handler.

 

“What are you doing here?” The man keeping a painfully tight grip on your arm sounded thoroughly annoyed.

 

“I’m supposed to assume authority over taking the seraph to the detainment quarters.” A deep, soft voice responded, sounding only a few feet away from you.

 

_It was almost… Familiar._

The ruffian holding onto you scoffed at the other man contemptuously. Let me check your identification, then.”

 

Silence followed, and you wondered what the second man was doing.

 

“Alright then, make sure it gets there as quickly as possible. The boss doesn’t want to take any chances if Chanyeol and his men want a refund.”

 

Without another word, you were shoved forwards, into the arms of the other man.

 

“Understood.”

 

A firm hand was placed around your wrist, gripping painfully and causing your to cry out around the gag. This handler immediately picked up speed, forcing you to stagger alongside him despite your injuries. After taking an unidentifiable number of right and left turns, you were unceremoniously thrown into a room, the heavy door shutting behind you. Tear s began to well up in your eyes as you felt entirely vulnerable; barren and defenseless against whatever this man had in store for you.

 

Despite choking on your cries around your gag, a sense of shock and confusion came to you in an instant, as you felt hands begin to untie the knots keeping the sack over your head. Once untied, the cloth was lifted from your head, your eyes being met with a spacious, dimly lit, prison-like chamber, many areas remaining concealed in shadow. You blinked several times to readjust your eyesight, and you nearly cried tears of joy when your eyes met those belonging to Kyungsoo.

 

You hummed in relief, letting out a long sigh as Kyungsoo reached behind your head to untie your gag.

 

“I’m sorry about that, it had to look natural.” His apology was sincere, and you nodded gratefully to accept it.

 

“I was- I was beginning to think that-”

 

“That was part of Chanyeol’s plan.” Kyungsoo cut you off, “He needed you to have that doubt in order for your role in all of this to appear more genuine.”

 

“I see,” You swallowed, nodding your head in despondent understanding. “But, Kyungsoo, where exactly are we?”

 

“Using Baekhyun’s expert hacking skills, it wasn’t hard to pinpoint where they were holding their seraph.”

 

You looked at him with wide eyes. “What? Kyungsoo, is the seraph somewhere in one of these cells?!”

 

He quickly pressed a finger to your lips to silence you before nodding.

 

“However, Baekhyun was unable to find out which one of them they’re inside.”

 

You and Kyungsoo immediately began to meticulously search every single cell. As you peeked through each one of the holding cell door’s slitted windows, you found that there were no residents to be found in any of them. Although you were surprised to find that not a single one of the other cells were occupied, you couldn’t let yourself waste time by questioning it.

 

You were beginning to have second thoughts about the validity of Baekhyun’s intel. That was, until you saw Kyungsoo halt dead in his tracks in front of one of the cells he had looked into.

 

You rushed up to his side, “Are they in there? Kyungsoo, are they inside?”

 

Kyungsoo kept his gaze trained on the window, refusing to move to let you see through it.

 

You protested against him. “Kyungsoo, let me see. What’s going on?”

 

“There’s something Chanyeol didn’t tell you.” Kyungsoo turned to look at you solemnly, unemotionally.

 

“As we were interrogating one of this gang’s men, we were told that the reason they wanted another seraph so desperately wasn’t because they simply wanted a new one-”

 

He stepped back slightly, allowing you just enough room to look inside the cell for yourself.

 

What you saw shattered your heart, causing your lungs to close up and lumps to form painfully in your throat.

 

There was the seraph, a female, bound with her hands above her head, her body being suspended above the ground like dead weight. Everything about her appearance screamed that she was on death’s door and sustained an intolerable amount of physical abuse.

 

 

“-They needed a new seraph because theirs was dying.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I so sorry that this chapter is so messy x~x I one-shotted this and am now posting it at 3am when I am now going to be getting less than four hours of sleep, but goddamnit I was determined to give all of you lovely people an official update if it killed me~ While this chapter IS crucial to the plot, I couldn’t figure out a good way to write it, and ended up rewriting scenes like 74023817492 times x_x I hope it’s acceptable… Please let me know what you guys thought?? I love you all so much!
> 
> ~Nunchi <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language, attempted sexual assault

You opened your mouth to answer Kyungsoo’s response, but were cut off as red lights began to flash angrily across the prison hallway.

 

“Shit,” Kyungsoo muttered under his breath, using his inhuman strength to pry the bolt of the metal door open, “We have to get out of here before they start to seal off the doors.”

 

The prison cell door snapped open, the metal resounding with a loud  _crack_. Kyungsoo swung the door and ran inside with you following right behind him. You darted to the female seraph’s side as Kyungsoo wasted no time getting to work on breaking the her metal bindings.

 

You knelt down to be eye-level with her, cupping her face and examining it for signs of life.

 

She was barely breathing.

 

Bruises swelled across her pronounced cheekbones and several slices littered the rest of her cracked skin, blood mixing with dirt in several places. You did your best to support the weight of her head to let air enter her lungs better, but there was still no conscious response. Kyungsoo made quick work of the metal cuffs around her wrists, leaving you to catch the dead weight of her body. Despite your own lack of strength, you managed to support her frail body while Kyungsoo began to rip the chains locked around her ankles out of the ground. As a result of the blaring lights, the unpleasant sound of metal against concrete, and the significant shift in movement, the seraph began to stir in your arms.

 

“K-Kyungsoo- she’s, she’s waking up.” You did your best to keep her body sitting upright in your lap, but the relentless beating your arms and legs had taken over the past few days wore away at your strength.

 

Kyungsoo’s head snapped in your direction the second he was finished breaking the bolted-down chains from their locks. You flinched at how  _menacing_ his expression was, his pupils widening and his irises turning a threatening shade of crimson. In the blink of an eye he was at your side, transferring the weight of the seraph from your lap to his own with surprising tenderness. Kyungsoo brushed a sweaty clump of hair from the seraph’s face, holding her chin delicately between his thumb and index finger.

 

Her eyelids shifted, and the moment that they began to open, Kyungsoo’s eyes returned to normal and he visibly relaxed.

 

“Hey, hey, try to stay conscious, stay with me here,” Kyungsoo’s voice was deep and soft, and you looked at the way he held the female seraph with such care in confusion.

 

“K-Kyungsoo?” Her voice was almost too quiet for you to hear.

 

_What- How did… She know his name?_

Before you had time to verbalize your question, the seraph began to fight viciously against Kyungsoo’s arms with a renewed sense of energy.

 

No. Not energy. You were all too familiar with the way her eyes widened and her breathing quickened painfully against her constricted rib cage. The look on her face had once been your own.

 

It was one of unadulterated  _fear_.

 

“N-No, I’m not-” Her voice was cut off as she erupted into sobs, tears beginning to stream down her face.

 

“H-Hey, Kyungsoo, is she-”

 

You didn’t get to finish.

 

Faster than you had time to react, Kyungsoo had reached into his jacket pocket, retrieving from it a white syringe. He had immediately taken the cap off with his teeth, and before the seraph had time to resist,  accurately thrust the tip into the back of her neck.

 

“Kyungsoo! What have you done?!” You quickly rose to your feet, fear replacing your lethargy with adrenaline.

 

In a matter of seconds, the seraph’s head fell limp against Kyungsoo’s shoulder.

 

“Relax,” His voice came out disturbingly calm as lifted her into his arms, his hold on her unwavering, “It’s just a drug for paralysis. She was in a state of hysteria, and we don’t have time for her to get in the way. We already should have left by now.”

 

You swallowed a lump that had formed painfully in your throat.

 

_Can I really trust him?_

Kyungsoo quickly walked over to the door, the seraph’s limp body held protectively in his arms, and aggressively kicked it open.

 

“Come on, we don’t have much time before they seal off the doors.” His voice barked at you matter-of-factly, and you hustled out, following his footsteps.

 

As soon as you exited the cell, the siren’s noise increased exponentially. That, in combination with the red lights that aggressively strobed the hallways, and nearly every single one of your senses was distorted. Despite the difficulties you had in seeing, hearing, and moving, you were able to follow closely behind Kyungsoo as he sprinted through the maze-like corridors.

 

After what seemed like several minutes of the concrete scraping against your swollen feet and your bruises screaming at you to stop running, Kyungsoo abruptly halted in his tracks. You screeched to a stop, narrowly avoiding crashing into him.

 

“Kyungsoo, what’s-”

 

“Shh.” He hissed at you, refusing to budge.

 

You remained as still as you could. Even though the sirens still blared, you felt oddly vulnerable.

 

Kyungsoo heard it before you did.

 

“Move back!”

 

A sharp  _click_ had sounded from above you, and your head snapped upwards to see a thick wall crashing down from the ceiling.

 

Before you could react, Kyungsoo turned around and landed a kick to your chest with enough force to send you flying back several feet. You came crashing to the ground right as the metal barrier finished its descent, effectively sealing off the hallway and separating you from Kyungsoo. If he had delayed his kick even a second later, you very easily would have died.

 

“Kyungsoo!” You scrambled to your feet and ran up to the wall, beginning to pound your fists against it in vain. “Can you hear me?! Are you alright?!”

 

“Yes, I’m alright,” Kyungsoo’s voice came out muffled from behind the wall, “We weren’t quick enough. They know where we are now.”

 

Your chest tightened in fear.

 

“Listen to me, we can still get out of here. I’ll take the seraph and escape through the exit that leads into the forest. If you just keep running straight, then take every left that you can, you should be able to find one of the armories. There’s a large window there that you should be able to escape from. Do you understand me?” His familiar voice dropped several octaves, and you wondered how he had the ability to remain so calm amidst all that was happening.

 

“Y-Yes.” You suppressed a sob as your throat began to harden.

 

“Good. Start running, and don’t ever stop.”

 

You set your palms against the wall, leaning against them. You forced yourself to take a deep breath, making your mind focus on the task at hand. Once you finished exhaling you turned around. You ran, and you didn’t look back.

 

Your feet ached.

 

Your legs marred.

 

Your lungs burned.

 

Your eyes stung.

 

Your wings clenched uncomfortably, forcibly folded tightly behind your back

.

But you refused to stop running. You had been running ever since you fell from seraphim. You had been running to stay alive. You had been running because of survival, because of fear. Why were you always running? Why did you  _keep_ running?

 

You ran because you were going to do more than just survive. You were going to overcome that fear.

 

You followed all of Kyungsoo’s instructions without hesitation. At every fork in the road, you went left. At every straight, you sprinted like hell.

 

You realized that escape no longer impacted just you. No, instead, you finally realized just how crucial your life’s value was. Your fate wouldn’t just affect you and your kind. It wouldn’t just affect Chanyeol. It would affect the course of mankind. If any one of these gangs were to publicize their inhuman existence, let alone the effects that seraph blood has on them, the world wouldn’t just be thrown into chaos.

 

It would be thrown into war.

 

 _That_ is why you kept running. You knew that the moment you resigned yourself was the moment that the species you fought so hard to protect would slowly fall into darkness. You knew that once the existence of vampires, wolves, and seraphs became known to the world, more blood would be shed than those in Seraphim were prepared to handle.

 

Right now, you were in control of your body, and you would be damned before you would give up and let someone else have it.

 

You kept up your speed, your motivation fueling, until you saw a black metal door at the end of the corridor. You slowed your approach and noticed that it was cracked open, a sliver of light visible from it. You pressed up against the door carefully, listening cautiously for any inhabitants. Without picking up on anyone’s presence, you pushed the door open, closing it completely and locking it behind you as you entered. Your gaze traveled all around the room, being lit only by a flickering lamp that swung overhead. Although Kyungsoo wasn’t lying when he said it was an armory, you hadn’t expected it to be so spacious: this gang had enough ammunition to take down an entire city within this singular, enclosed space.

 

_A window… Kyungsoo said there was a-_

 

A thud and several clicks sounded from outside the door.

 

Someone was coming in.

 

You immediately scanned the room in panic, your eyes locking onto a table in the far corner. Despite its lack of cover, it was all you had. You scampered over to the back corner of the room, sliding underneath the desk and praying that the lack of visibility would favor you.

 

Not a second later, the door creaked open. You tucked your knees closer to your chest, fighting your lungs to stabilize your breathing. Someone had entered the room, but because of how low the shelf of the desk hung, you could only see their feet.

 

“God _damn_ it, I knew we couldn’t trust that son of a bitch!”

 

A chill spread across your entire body.

 

_It was Kris._

“I should’ve killed that feathered bitch when I had the chance. Then we wouldn’t be having these problems. Instead, I have to deal with a fucking traitor.” If Kris didn’t sound pissed off by the way he venomously spat out his words, his frantic, angry scuffling through a trunk of ammo could convince anyone. “The second I get my hands on one of those seraphs, I’ll have their precious vampire protectors watch as I rip out their windpipes right in front of them. We only need one, after all.”

 

Before you could stop yourself, a gasp escaped your lips. Although you were quick to cover your mouth with your hands, the damage had been done.

 

You saw Kris’s feet freeze.

 

You shut your eyes, sending prayers that his inhuman hearing would fail him just this once.

 

It didn’t.

 

His feet shifted in your direction, and your breath hitched. After a prolonged silence, they began to step towards you.

 

“My my, what do we have here?”

 

He took one step towards you.

 

“Do you enjoy playing hide and seek, my dear?” You could hear the sinister smirk in Kris’s voice.

 

Another step.

 

“I enjoy playing games.”

 

Another step.

 

“Especially the ones where I get to make you scream.”

 

His feet were right in front of the desk now.

 

“I’ve found you, you little feathered bitch.”

 

You were yanked from underneath the safety of the desk before you saw his face. The face that instilled more fear into the deepest parts of your being than Chanyeol ever could. You were convinced that Chanyeol still held onto some shred of morality, of  _humanity_. Kris’s smirk as he gripped your wrist and bent it at an unnatural angle above your head, however, was evidence of his only intent:  _bloodlust_.

 

Your instinct was to do the only thing you knew could be effective against his kind. Unfortunately for you, however, Kris had gotten smarter. Before you could utter a single cry, his other hand was wrapped around your throat, constricting his grasp with enough force to crush your windpipe if he wanted to.

 

“Let’s play a game, shall we?” He brought your face up to meet his, his rancid breath warm against your cheek.

 

Kris threw you to the ground several feet away from him like a rag doll. You scrambled on all fours, instantly clutching your throat as it bore the effects of Kris’s violent attempt at suffocation. You looked up and met his villainous red eyes, an amused smile adorning his dark features. You quickly turned around, attempting to crawl across the floor, towards a weapon, towards the door,  _anywhere_ away from him.

 

“The rules are simple.”

 

A firm hand clasped itself around your ankle, and you were jerked backwards. You kicked and flailed like a rabid animal, attempting to throw Kris’s grip off of your leg, but to no avail.

 

“I get to do whatever I want to you, and instead of hearing you scream-”

 

Kris exchanged the grip on your ankle for ones on your wrists as he got on all fours on top of you, pinning you against the cold concrete. He was holding both of your hands above your head, using one of his own to do so with little effort. You turned your head to the side, refusing to meet his gaze as you continued to struggle. This only made your situation worse, as Kris scooted up so that his legs straddled your hips, a shit-eating grin refusing to disappear from his face.

 

“-I think I want to hear your moans.”

 

Your eyes widened in fear as you took in the weight of his words.

 

“Y-You wouldn’t.” You croaked out, your broken voice barely above a whisper.

 

“Oh, little birdy,” Kris lowered his face to yours, trailing his tongue along your jawline, causing you to shiver in disgust. “I think you underestimate me.”

 

Keeping one hand firmly in place to secure your wrists, Kris reached down to unbuckle his pants. You fought the tears that began to form at the corners of your eyes and you shut them, hoping to have no memories of what was about to happen to you.

 

_Please-… this can’t- Not to me…_

_Please!_

Suddenly, all of Kris’s movements halted, and you opened your eyes.

 

The barrel of a gun was placed at the top of Kris’s head. Your gaze trailed from the tip of the gun to the hand that was holding it, and continued upwards until your eyes met those of its owner.

 

“Ch-Chanyeol.” You rasped.

 

This time, you couldn’t hold back your tears, and a sob escaped your cracked and broken throat. You had never been as relieved to see Chanyeol standing before you, and you let your silent cries overtake your system.

 

“Get the fuck off of her, you bastard.” Chanyeol’s eyes narrowed, and you could tell he had been holding back his fangs’ urge to protrude in anger. “-Before I blow your fucking brains out.”

 

Kris let out a hearty laugh, looking at you dead in the eye. He didn’t budge.

 

“I said get up!” Chanyeol gripped the collar of Kris’s jacket and threw him off of you.

 

Kris flew back several feet, and Chanyeol turned around to face him, standing in front of you protectively. He kept his gun aimed directly at Kris’s head, and without looking away, reached his hand behind his back to help you stand. You sat up and took his hand into your own. Chanyeol instinctively interlocked fingers with you, holding onto your small hand tightly. When you expected him to let go, he didn’t.

 

Kris rolled over to sit comfortably, his legs stretched out and he leaned back against his hands. Although fresh blood was seeping from his lip as a result of Chanyeol throwing him, his face conveyed the look of a man with no cares in the world. You wanted more than anything to wipe that damn smile off of his face.

 

“My my, what have we here?” Kris cocked his head to the side provokingly, “Has the devil started to develop feelings for his incarcerated little angel?”

 

You moved your free hand to clutch onto Chanyeol’s jacket sleeve tightly. Chanyeol remained unmoving,  his expression giving away nothing.

 

“You’re a bastard, Kris.” Chanyeol hissed. “And a pretty fucking stupid one if you think that I’d just sit by and watch you be unable to keep it in your fucking pants.”

 

Kris threw his head back in laughter. “You and I both know it’s more than that, Chanyeol, I know your desires more than you do yourself.”

 

“Shut up.” Chanyeol barked, keeping his weapon acutely in place.

 

Kris remained unaffected, and began to stand to his feet.

 

_Shoot… Just shoot him, Chanyeol!_

“Ch-Chanyeol-” You whimpered, your voice still lost.

 

“Oh, don’t worry, little birdy,” Kris snickered as he stood to his full height, taking a step towards the two of you. “He won’t be able to shoot me.”

 

Chanyeol’s grip on both the gun and your hand tightened.

 

“He can’t kill me, you see-” Kris continued to walk towards you, stopping with his chest only a few inches away from the tip of the gun.

 

Kris took one more step forward, the barrel of the gun now pressing into his chest.

 

“-Because I’m his maker.”

 

Chanyeol’s hand was trembling now, causing his grip on the gun to falter. Kris leaned to the side to look at you in the eyes, deepening his smirk.

 

“I made him. I was the one who turned him into the monster that he is today. I can sense his darkest thoughts; his most primal desires. I can sense an abnormal sense of affection for his newly-acquired little pet, affection that he has so effectively hidden until this point.  _Oops_ , was I not supposed to share that bit?”

 

An animalistic growl erupted from deep within Chanyeol’s vocal chords.

 

“And now, since I am his bondsman, he can do nothing to hurt me.” Kris brought his hand up to his chest.

 

“Absolutely,”

 

Kris’s fingers wrapped themselves around the barrel of Chanyeol’s gun, effectively ripping it away from him and throwing it to the ground.

 

“Nothing.”

 

Before Kris had the time to make his move, Chanyeol released a vicious roar, releasing your hand from his own and tackling Kris to the floor.

 

With the amount of strength Chanyeol used, he had inadvertently pushed you to the ground as well, and you could only look on in terror as Chanyeol struggled to fight against every fiber of his being. Every fiber that prevented him from hurting Kris. Every fiber that prevented him from protecting you.

 

Chanyeol released a guttural yell as he straddled Kris’s hips, beginning to pummel the shit out of him. You could tell just by witnessing just how hard Chanyeol was fighting against his own body. He continued to punch Kris in the face several times, a face that was  _still smirking_.

 

“Stop.”

 

All it took was Kris’s mutter of the command and Chanyeol’s hand froze in mid-air. Chanyeol was breathing hard, his arm trembling with the amount of force he was trying to put behind it.

 

Kris sighed. “Wow, you must have grown more attached to her than I thought, if you’re willing to go through this much pain just to fight me.”

 

And then, in an instant, the tables had turned. Kris shoved Chanyeol off of his waist, landing a devastating blow directly across his cheekbone. Chanyeol fell with his back against the floor, trying to recover. He was too slow, however, and in the blink of an eye Kris was leering over him, getting in strike after strike.

 

Tears began to form at the corners of your eyes once more. You had to do something. You had to stop this. You frantically scanned the surrounding area for something,  _anything_ that you could use to get Kris off of Chanyeol. You didn’t have much time to think as you grabbed the thing closest to you: a loaded handgun that had been resting on top of the table nearest to you. You didn’t even have time to process how the weight felt in your small hands; how afraid you really were of the object you were wielding.

 

The tears clouded your vision, obscuring the bloody scene right in front of you. While Chanyeol had been adamant in putting up a fight against Kris’s relentless attacks, his head fell to the side, eyes closed. His limbs had stilled. You clutched the gun against your chest, praying for Chanyeol to wake up and turn the tides once more, to push back against his instinct and defeat the  _real_ monster.

 

But Chanyeol made no movements.

 

Kris began to laugh maniacally, wiping the sweat from his forehead and allowing his heavy breathing to calm. Without moving off of Chanyeol, he reached behind him to pull something out of his jacket.

 

A gun.

 

Kris’s devious smile grew wider, his lungs still gasping for air through his open mouth as he panted.

 

“I should’ve done this a long time ago, old friend.”

 

Kris chambered the round. “Don’t worry, I’ll take  _good care_ of your girlfriend in your absence.”

 

_(y/n)… (y/n) do it. You have to do it!_

He extended his arm and pointed the tip of the gun to the center of Chanyeol’s forehead.

 

_Shoot now, dammit!_

Before you allowed any nerve, any remaining fiber of your being to delay any longer, you lifted the gun from your lap and pointed it directly at Kris.

 

_Over my dead body, you bastard._

 

You pulled your trembling index finger against the trigger, and the gun fired.

 

Your ears rang at the excruciating noise, disorientating your senses. You shook your head violently, attempting to center your vision. You looked up to see Kris still hovered over Chanyeol, however, a small red spot on his shirt began to grow larger, and larger, eventually spilling down onto the floor. Chanyeol had stirred, and the moment that his consciousness was regained, he shoved Kris off of him, rolling to his side and heaving for air.

 

You were shaking violently, the overdose of adrenaline, fear, and untapped power sending your brain into overdrive. You looked over at Kris’s unmoving body; at the pools of blood that were now accumulating around him. You glanced down at your hands, trembling at the sight of your fingers still wrapped around the gun’s trigger. Your breathing quickened before you could stop it and whimpers mixed with sobs to convey your unadulterated horror.

 

Chanyeol pushed himself up with his arms. He lifted his head to look up at you, and in the blink of an eye he had darted to your side with inhuman speed. He crouched in front of you, delicately prying your fingers off of the handle of the gun. He turned to look at you in the eye after he had carefully set it to the side, out of harm’s way.

 

“Hey, Angel-cakes, it’s me, it’s Chanyeol,” He reached his hands up to cup your face, desperately trying to get you to look at him in the eye. “Hey, hey, listen, it’s alright, he won’t hurt you.”

 

“Chan- Chanyeol,” You slowly raised your head to look deep into his eyes as you whimpered, “I- I just-”

 

_I just killed someone… A seraph, in charge of preserving life at all costs…_

“Shhh, it’s alright,” Chanyeol moved his hand to rest at your shoulders. “You didn’t kill anyone, do you hear me? You haven’t killed anyone.”

 

Your eyes widened in confusion.

 

“The gun you used didn’t use vervain, it just shot normal bullets.” He squeezed your shoulders reassuringly, attempting to give you a weak smile. “It’ll hurt like hell, but he won’t die.”

 

“Y-You mean I-”

 

“Shhh,” Chanyeol brought his index finger to your cracked lips. “We need to get moving. Although it’ll hurt like hell, he’ll wake up soon, and we need to leave before he does.”

 

You nodded, trying your best to blink away the tears.

 

As Chanyeol began to stand, you reached out and grabbed his sleeve abruptly.

 

“Hey, hey,” Chanyeol’s voice was surprisingly gentle as he  returned to a squatting position beside you. “What’s wrong, Angel-cakes?”

 

“I- I-” You shut your eyes and tried your best to move your numb legs, but you couldn’t.

 

The adrenaline had taken its toll on your body, and your legs had been temporarily paralyzed.

 

“I… I can’t move my legs.”

 

After a few second of silence you opened your eyes to find Chanyeol scanning you up and down, his large, rough hands delicately examining your legs.

 

“That’s alright,” He glanced up at you and smirked.

 

Without a moment’s delay, Chanyeol slid his forearms underneath your back and legs, lifting you into his arms and securing you into his hold firmly before standing to his feet.

 

“Let’s get you out of here, Angel-cakes.”

 

* * *

 

You had regained feeling in your legs by the time you and Chanyeol had made it out of the lion’s den and into the van. He had placed you as gently as possible into the passenger seat in the back, taking his own seat beside you and telling Chen, the one driving the van, to get the hell out of there.

 

Chen immediately stepped on the gas, and spun the vehicle to drive out of dodge.

 

Baekhyun, who was riding shotgun, turned around in his seat. “Chanyeol, What about Kyungsoo?”

 

Chanyeol placed your head against the window carefully, lifting your legs to lay across the length of the back seat.

 

“He’ll have escaped into the woods behind their hideout,” Chanyeol dug something out from within his coat pocket and tossed it to Baekhyun. “He took a tracker with him before he left, use it to find where he is. He shouldn’t have made it too far off”

 

“Yes sir,” Baekhyun looked down at the small, black object in his hands and began to fiddle with it.

 

Chanyeol finished making you comfortable in your seat and met your gaze with a smirk. “Let’s go pick up your seraph friend.”

 

Chanyeol wasn’t kidding when he said Kyungsoo hadn’t made it significantly far into the mountain scape. It only took Chen a few minutes to pull up outside of the line of trees that bordered the forest. Baekhyun slid the door open as soon as Chen parked the vehicle, and Chanyeol turned to you.

 

“You can stay here if you want, Chen will make sure no one comes in or goes out.”

 

You shook your head.

 

“If you’re bringing in another one of my kind, I’ll need to be there.”

 

Chanyeol nodded once and extended his hand to you to help you out of the van. Your knees wobbled as soon as you put weight on your legs, but you managed to stand straight without any help.

 

“You okay to walk, Angel-cakes?” Chanyeol held his hands out, ready to support you if you fell.

 

“Yes, of course.” You smiled sheepishly, bending and stretching your legs to regain blood flow. “Lead the way.”

 

With the help of the tracker, it didn’t take long for You, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun to come close to where Kyungsoo had escaped to. You began to hear voices. Voices that grew significantly louder as you continued walking. After a few minutes you could see the outline of bodies in the distance. As you grew closer, however, you found that you were not prepared to witness what you found.

 

“-I told you to fucking  **stop**!” Kyungsoo’s voice rang out at a terrifying volume across the forest.

 

Your eyes widened as you saw the scene unfold before you: the frail, female seraph had her hands  _bound_ to a low tree branch. She was sobbing uncontrollably, no doubt due to how Kyungsoo was yelling at her. Not only was he yelling, he was  _shouting_. You had never seen Kyungsoo lose his cool before, and it terrified you.

 

“All you had to do was fucking listen to me!” Kyungsoo raised his hand in preparation to strike her.

 

Before you let your judgement interfere, you sprinted across the forest floor at top speed, forcing yourself in between Kyungsoo and the crying, terrified seraph. This immediately caused Kyungsoo to freeze in his actions, his vampiric expression returning to its human appearances.

 

You stared him down ferociously, your wings expanded protectively to separate him from the seraph.

 

“Kyungsoo, good work getting the seraph out of custody.” Chanyeol’s voice remained neutral as he slowly made his way over to you.

 

“Good work?  _Good work_?” You hissed, your gaze moving back and forth between Kyungsoo and Chanyeol. “He better have a good explanation for what the hell just happened.”

 

Chanyeol walked up to your side, his expression stoic as he laid a hand on your shoulder. “That isn’t important right now. What is important is that we get you and your little angel buddy here back to the base safely.”

 

You couldn’t contain your anger.

 

“ _Safely_? If you haven’t noticed, no where on this god-forsaken place is safe for me and my kind.” You spat aggressively, throwing Chanyeol’s hand off of you. “When will you people get it through your thick heads? We are not  _weapons_.  _We are not objects_.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyebrow twitched, his eyebrows narrowing.

 

“Get. In. The van.” He reached out and grabbed your elbow forcefully, making you flinch.

 

You stared at him, your once-courageous gaze faltering and turning into one of fear once more. This seemed to affect him, and he released your elbow.

 

“…Please,” He gazed deep into your eyes, his expression softening, “Please… Just, don’t fight me on this.”

 

You bit your lip and turned around to face the female seraph. You began untying her bonds that kept her tied to the tree, and she looked up at you in fear.

 

“P-Please, y-you can’t let them take us, please,” She begged, her eyes watering. “They- they’ll do horrible things.”

 

“Shhh,” You finished untying her wrists and brought your hands around her shoulders and waist supportively. “Just stay with me, alright?”

 

She bit her lip and nodded and you gave her a weak smile. You then turned your attention to Chanyeol, your expression cold as you began to walk towards Baekhyun, and in the direction of the van.

 

Both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo trailed behind you and the other seraph as you followed Baekhyun back through the dense forest back to the van. No one spoke a word, but you could feel your fellow seraph trembling as you helped her walk.

 

Once you arrived, Baekhyun slid the door open, and you helped your comrade into the van. Her body weakly protested, but you were able to coax her into entering by keeping your hands on her reassuringly. You and her took the back seats as Baekhyun took his spot next to the driver’s seat, and Chanyeol and Kyungsoo took seats in the row just behind it.

 

The seraph grabbed your hand, squeezing as tightly as she could as she leaned in to speak, “L-Listen, I don’t know how you know them, b-but I really can’t go through any more of what I just did, I really can’t, I really can’t-”

 

“Shhhh, it’s okay,” You brought her head to lean against your shoulder as you held her hand, “It’s going to be better from now, on, alright?”

 

She looked up at you, confusion, worry, and hope conveyed in her glossy eyes.

 

“Chanyeol isn’t like that. He isn’t like them.” Your gaze traveled from hers across the van over to Chanyeol’s, where he met it with equal intensity.

 

You just hoped you were right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope 5,000+ words is enough to make up for no DA lately x_x with the time jump, It’s now 4am that I am posting this, but I refused to let it go unwritten. I did this all at once so I apologize if there are more typos! Please please please let me know your thoughts on this chapter! ily guys!
> 
> ~Nunchi


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language, sexual situations, mentions of abuse, panic attacks

“First thing’s first,” Chanyeol barked gruffly as he closed the van door shut behind him. “Let’s get the two of you to Yixing to get looked at.”

 

The seraph’s fingers tightened around your own as they interlaced protectively. During the long ride back, upon prompting, she had told you her name:  _Eva_. Of course, this wasn’t her real name, or rather, the name given to her within the walls of Seraphim. With so many other leering eyes and open ears close by, you expected as much. A seraph’s true name was not only the root of their ethereal identity, but also a symbol of their divine virtue and character.”

 

For a seraph, allowing someone to know your true name was in essence giving them your undying loyalty, your highest form of adoration.  _Your life._

Eva’s hand trembled within the grasp of your own. You gently pushed her behind your back, effectively shielding her behind your wings. You stared up at Chanyeol, anxiety glistening behind your eyes.

 

Chanyeol took in a deep breath, “Don’t worry, he’s only going to tend to your wounds.”

 

He released it as he turned around, beginning to walk away from the two of you whilst muttering something under his breath. Something that sounded curiously like…

 

_“There’s been enough violence at my hand today.”_

You shivered. You didn’t know whether or not Chanyeol meant for you to hear those words or not, but you couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the beaten-down vampire as he stalked off across the warehouse.

 

Kyungsoo rounded the vehicle, causing Eva to wince as he approached you. He halted in his tracks, and his breath hitched. As he took one step closer, you reciprocated by keeping a protective arm around Eva’s waist behind you, taking a step of equal length back.

 

Kyungsoo froze, the sadness that was evident in his eyes betraying his emotionless expression. “I am to escort you to the medical ward.”

 

Eva cowered further behind you as soon as he began to speak. You turned around and rubbed your hands up and down her arms reassuringly.

 

“It’s okay, Eva, these people are okay. They won’t hurt you anymore, alright? I won’t let them hurt you.” After she gave you a curt nod, you smiled. “We’re just going to go see Yixing, and he’s going to patch you up a little bit, okay?”

 

You turned back around to face Kyungsoo, forcing yourself to muster a confident expression. Eva’s hand reconnected itself with yours, and you sent Kyungsoo a sharp nod to indicate that you were ready.

 

Kyungsoo’s lip twitched, and you could’ve sworn you saw the remnant of an apologetic look in his eyes.

 

“If you would, then.” He straightened himself before extending his arm in the direction of the nearest doorway. “Follow me.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

“ _Ah_ -” You reflexively jerked your hand back as signals of pain were sent straight to your brain.

 

Yixing quickly pulled his hand away, “I’m sorry, the gash needs some more ointment in order to heal quicker.”

 

You nodded, allowing him permission to continue applying the jelly-like contents of the thin white tube. It stung, but this time you clenched your teeth in order to keep your poker face. After Yixing was finished wrapping your bruised and bloodied knuckles, he directed his attention to the slice along your cheek. His brows furrowed as he focused intently on dabbing a light amount of antibiotic across it with his finger. You sucked in a breath as Yixing accidentally brushed against a tender spot, shutting your eyes as the sharp stinging sensation returned.

 

“Almost done, sweetheart,” Yixing’s voice was firm, but laced with warmth and reassurance.

 

After sealing the wound with a thin layer of gauze and some medical tape, he pulled his face away and turned his attention to the sink.

 

“All done,” His voice sounded chipper, but his face remained significantly stoic as he turned to face the other figure within the room. “Now it’s your turn, little one.”

 

Eva flinched at his words. You had opted to get looked at first, giving her time to adjust, but the way she was still trembling violently in the corner conveyed that your efforts had reaped little success. You bit your lip as you pondered what could have possibly happened to this once-proud seraph to make her cower in fear at the slightest glance.

 

You swung your legs off of the medical stretcher and hopped off. “Eva, it’s alright, Yixing won’t hurt you, I promise.” You extended your hand to show her your new, white bandages. “See? He’s just going to help alleviate some of the pain.”

 

Eva’s knees wobbled as she stood staring at the ground. Her left hand gripped her opposite elbow, and for the first time, you could truly see the grotesque array of bruises that littered her pale skin.

 

You held out your hand to her, sending her a soft smile as she slowly looked up to meet your reassuring gaze. “I’ll be right here the whole time.”

 

Eva bit her lip, and it was apparent that she was weighing her options extensively. After several more seconds of tensioned silence, she extended her hand to take yours in timid fashion. You walked slowly, leading her to the examination bed cautiously, fearing that she would break from your soft grip and flee back into her corner.

 

However, she remained by your side, accepting your lead and meeting Yixing’s kind eyes at the foot of the stretcher. With further prompting from Yixing, Eva turned around to face you, sliding onto the bench with tremendously pained effort. It was obvious to tell that the simple action had been extremely difficult for her, no doubt due to her myriad of injuries.

 

“There’s a good girl,” Yixing cooed, sending down a soft smile in her direction before arranging his tools beside the sink.

 

His work commenced. Delicately lifting her arms and feet one by one to get a proper read on her condition, Yixing speedily examined the extent of her injuries. He sighed disappointedly to himself as he rounded the stretcher, opening a large cabinet in search of something.

 

“Unfortunately, nearly all of her injuries are internal.” He closed the cabinet, a small white packet now in hand.

 

“Unfortunately?” You stuttered in a sad attempt to remain brave.

 

“It means there is little I can do externally to heal her wounds,” Yixing pulled out a pair of scissors beside the sink and proceeded to cut the plastic package open. “However-”

 

He turned back around, and before you had time to fully process what was in his hands, Eva quickly scooted back against the stretcher and began to sob violently. You whipped your head around, eyes meeting the object that Yixing possessed.

 

A thin syringe, filled with an ambiguous orange liquid.

 

“No! No!” Eva screamed, kicking her legs and effectively pushing herself off of the stretcher and onto the floor. In a flash you were by her side, squatting down to her level and encasing her in your arms in an attempt to quell her violent thrashing.

 

“Eva! Eva it’s okay!”

 

“No! No more!” She choked on her own sob, her fearful gaze never leaving Yixing’s stunned one. “Please! No more needles! I’ll be good, I promise!”

 

Immediately, you placed your hands on Eva’s shoulders firmly. “Eva, look at me. Look at me!”

 

Her tearful eyes met yours, and you stared into them fiercely. “It’s okay, it’s okay, take deep breaths with me,”

 

After a few minutes of coaxing Eva’s  nervous system to stabilize her vitals, you looked up at Yixing, who was still frozen with needle in hand. Your gaze pleaded with him.

 

It only took him a second to recognize, and accept, your request.

 

“She’s right,” At the sound of his voice, Eva’s head whipped in his direction. Yixing held up his hands in surrender, continuing to slowly place the needle into the sink. “No shots today, everything’s gonna be okay.”

 

Eva sniffled uncontrollably, still coming down from the adrenaline high her panic attack had caused. She gave a miniscule nod, and you helped her to her feet. Yixing aided you in repositioning her to sit upright on the stretcher.

 

After she was situated, Yixing scrambled through the contents of another cabinet.

 

“While this won’t be nearly as effective as the shot, it will still work to heal her internal injuries.” Yixing pulled out a small, orange container of pills, rattling them softly. He proceeded to take two blue capsules from the bottle, handing them to you. “I think it would be better if she takes them from you. Don’t worry, there aren’t any obscure side effects, but they will put her to sleep rather quickly.”

 

You nodded your thanks, cautiously taking the pills from Yixing’s hand. You placed your other hand around Eva’s back comfortingly. “These aren’t bad pills, okay Eva? They’ll make some of the pain go away and allow you to get some sleep, alright?”

 

She stared down at the blue capsules in your hand, contemplating her actions. Eventually, she began to extend her hand. In a quick flash, she tossed the pills into her mouth. You guessed she had reacted quickly in order to outpace her doubt. An action you had experience with.

 

Yixing handed you a glass of water to give to Eva which you took graciously. As she began to sip the contents of the glass, Yixing headed towards the door.

 

“I’ll be right back,” He sighed exasperatedly, “I need to grab something.”

 

And just like that, you were left in the medical ward with Eva. Alone.

 

You rounded the stretcher to face Eva directly, beginning to rub her arms gently to comfort her. “Hey, Eva, how’re you feeling? You doing okay?”

 

Eva looked up from her glass. Her pupils had returned to a normal size, and you let out a breath of relief.

 

“I- I think I’m better. Thank you.” She muttered softly.

 

“Despite being a violent gang of vampires, these people are in no way the same ones you’ve been forced to live with, alright?”

 

“Do you really think they have one?”

 

“Have one what?”

 

Her gaze was cold, unwavering. “A conscience.”

 

You swallowed thickly. As you began to debate the answer, however, you quickly realized that your purpose was to prevent her from worrying even further. You replied before you could stop yourself.

 

“Yes.” You blurted. “I’m sure they do.”

 

Eva hummed, nodding slightly. “Good. That will make escape from this place easier.”

 

A lump formed in your throat, your stomach sank. “Escape?”

 

Eva leaned forwards, her head just a few inches away from yours.

 

“ _The gate will reopen soon._ ”

 

You froze, eyes widening and hair standing on end. “What-”

 

The loud creaking of the metal handle being twisted abruptly interrupted you. A second later, not one, but two inhuman bodies entered the room. Yixing.  _And Chanyeol_. The muscles in your arms and legs flexed instinctively.

 

While Yixing’s expression looked solemn, Chanyeol’s gave away nothing.

 

“The two of you will be staying in my room.” His voice was low and tired, but his tone was still commanding. “However, you will not be locked in. Hopefully by now you have realized the futility and exhaustion involved in attempting to escape, and can allow me to relieve some of the restrictions on your liberties.”

 

You nodded in compliance. As you studied Chanyeol’s expression further, you noticed just how tired he looked. He was right. Both parties were severely worn out right now, and any trouble stirred up would only exhaust the both of you further with no resulting victor.

 

“The enemy will no doubt return to claim what they think belongs to them, but it will take a definite amount of time for them to gather their resources. And when they do-” Chanyeol stuck his hands into the pockets of his black leather pants, walking back towards the door that Yixing opened for him. He paused before exiting, sending you one last assertive look.

 

“-We’ll be ready for them.”

 

* * *

 

 

While Chanyeol kept his word that there would be no lock in place to keep you confined within his quarters, there was a guard put in place to be on twenty-four hour duty just outside the door. Any and all movements outside of the room required an escort, as well as the approval of Chanyeol himself. You were told that the guard, a familiar face, Baekhyun, was put into place for your protection. While you wanted to scoff at the thought, after considering the amount of breaches in security that have threatened you in the recent past, you neglected to complain.

 

Yixing also kept his word in the sense that the moment you had successfully tucked Eva into Chanyeol’s massive king-sized bed, she had passed out, asleep against the silken sheets.

 

You sat at the edge of the bed, in awe of the fact that you had time to your own thoughts for once.

 

_Oh God…_

In a flash, all of the events and emotions and pain that you had suppressed for the sake of survival within the past few days breached your conscious like a released dam.

 

The fear, the pain, the ringing in your ears, the gunshots. You were reminded of everything Chanyeol had put you through while you had been his prisoner, his  _possession_. The thin scars that painted your back were proof of that. Proof that reminded you of your disgust at his character.

 

And yet, there seemed to be a side to Chanyeol that acted as a counterweight. How many times had Chanyeol rescued you?

 

_No, (y/n), he had to rescue you. You’re nothing but an object to him- a bargaining chip._

Now that you were alone with your thoughts, the utter confusion you had for Chanyeol’s bipolar nature was all you could think about. Although he had been adamant that you were the doll and he was the puppetmaster, he had been willing to compromise, to be lenient. After witnessing the pure terror and extensive abuse that Eva faced in the custody of her captors, you were beginning to rethink the way in which Chanyeol executed his actions. He was no slavemaster. He had never forced himself upon you. He just seemed… Tortured.

 

You were then reminded of your encounter with Kris. The way his acrid breath made you reel in disgust, the way he felt his rough hands along your thighs as he pinned you down to the ground. He had been so close, so close to taking what was so precious to you as a seraph. If it hadn’t been for Chanyeol in that moment-

 

_No._

 

You physically shook your head, attempting to dismiss the horrifying thought of what would’ve happened if Chanyeol had been even a minute late.

 

_Chanyeol…_

 

Kris’s words repeated themselves ominously within your mind.

 

> _\- ‘Has the devil started to develop feelings for his incarcerated little angel?_
> 
> _\- ‘You and I both know it’s more than that, Chanyeol,’_
> 
> _\- ‘I was the one who turned him into the monster that he is today. I can sense his darkest thoughts; his most primal desires. I can sense an abnormal sense of affection for his newly-acquired little pet, affection that he has so effectively hidden until this point.’_

 

You bit your lip, trying to wrap your head around the extent to which Kris’s words were true. While you were apt to believe that Kris only mentioned these things to provoke Chanyeol as lies, you recognized the fragile possibility that they irked Chanyeol because they were true.

 

_But why?_

 

If any of Kris’s claims were valid, why on earth would Chanyeol develop feelings for you? His god complex was doing a pretty good job of disguising any hint of affection, if there was any to begin with.

 

Your mind darted to when he refused to allow Yixing to heal you, opting to tend to your wounds himself. It was in those moments that you caught a brief glimpse of the Chanyeol that could’ve been human. The Chanyeol that exhibited guilt and repentance.

 

In the end, there was only one thought that mattered.

 

If Chanyeol had feelings for you, did you feel the same?

 

The grating of metal against metal ripped you away from addressing that question. You stood up, off of the bed, and skipped over to the corner of the wall. Peeking your head around its edge, you found Chanyeol closing the door behind him as he entered the room.

 

_Speak of the devil…_

Your hands clenched into fists at your sides as Chanyeol approached you. His gaze was fixed and dark as he made his way over to you. He took long strides that were quick and confident, causing you to inadvertently step backwards. You opened your mouth to question his intrusion as he neared, but were cut off before you could utter a word.

 

His hand enclosed tightly around your wrist, on the verge of being painful. You looked up into his dark, yellow irises in confusion.

 

Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrowed.

 

“We need to talk.”

 

* * *

 

 

Chanyeol’s grip on your wrist never loosened. You were sure a bruise would form there by tomorrow, joining the colorful collection you already had. You had been sprinting, or, more like fumbling, to keep up with Chanyeol as he stalked at a heated pace through the corridors. Even though you remained anonymous to his objective, he was very apparently in a rush, as your hands were not bound, and there was no blindfold to obscure your vision.

 

Only a few minutes had passed before you found yourself stumbling up the curved staircase. A landmark that was familiar to you. Chanyeol was taking you to his observatory.

 

After what seemed like an endless eternity of ascending the rounded stairs, tripping over your own feet as you did so, you had fronted the thick, wooden door. He wasted no time in unlocking it. Chanyeol forced the door open with his own brute strength, kicking it loose from its hinges. The grasp on your wrist tightened, causing you to let out a pained yelp. Chanyeol, however, didn’t seem to notice, or care. He yanked you into the open-spaced observatory, halting abruptly once inside and causing you to run right into his broad shoulders.

 

You took a step back, catching your breath.

 

“Chanyeol, what-”

 

It happened quickly.  _Too quickly_.

 

Your questions were cut off as Chanyeol’s lips pressed roughly against your own. There was no gentleness in his kiss, only a sense of insatiable  _need_. You pressed your lips firmly together, denying him access into your mouth as his tongue aggressively demanded compliance. You did your best to rip away from the kiss, but Chanyeol’s hand, which was assertively cupping your cheek, firmly locked your head into place. After excessively mumbling your rejection against his lips, you successfully broke from Chanyeol’s grasp, shoving your hands against his chest and retreating several feet back.

 

You used the back of your hand to wipe the excess wetness from your lips, both in disgust and shock. Your eyes met his as he stood just a few feet away from you. His eyes flashed from a dark yellow into a threatening shade of crimson.

 

“…Chan-”

 

He didn’t give you a second to recuperate or defend yourself before his hands were on your body again. He used his inhuman strength to push you against the nearest wall, which was several feet away. You let out a short, surprised gasp as your back, wings included, was forcefully pressed against the hard surface. Chanyeol didn’t even allow you the chance to breathe before his lips were attacking your own once more. This time Chanyeol was more aggressive, forcing his tongue past your lips. He smirked at his dominant success. You jerked your head to the side in an attempt to break the kiss, but Chanyeol was having none of it. One of his rough, warm hands wrapped its way behind your neck, gripping the hair at the nape of your neck possessively, forcing you to obey the will of his lust.

 

Your hands fought against his chest, but this was nothing more than a slightly annoying hindrance to him. A low growl rippled from deep within his throat as he grabbed both of your wrists with his free hand, breaking the kiss just long enough to pin them above your head before diving back in.

 

Your next defense failed as well. You attempted to knee Chanyeol right in the gut, but, much to your dismay, he saw this coming. Chanyeol forced his knee in between the V of your thighs, effectively rendering your legs useless on either side. You continued to struggle against his firm lock on your limbs. The lack of air to your lungs was causing your vision to darken.

 

When Chanyeol finally broke away from your lips, you were too out of breath to enact your voice. You heaved air into your lungs as Chanyeol trailed open-mouthed kisses down your jawline. He reattached his lips to the tender skin of your neck, his kisses changing from possessive to surprisingly-delicate as he left gentle pecks up and down your collarbones. His breath was hot against your skin, and another growl was emitted from deep within him, and this time it sounded much more threatening.

 

“Ch-Chanyeol-” You whimpered, finally able to reclaim a fragment of your voice.

 

Chanyeol trailed his tongue lightly across the sensitive part of your neck, cause shivers to rip across your entire body. A quick, thin snapping noise sounded, close to your ears. The slight, sharp, pricking sensation that you felt along your neck confirmed your worst fears. Chanyeol was grazing his fangs along your unbroken skin.

 

“You can’t-” You squeaked out, struggling harder now than ever.

 

You felt a definite sting where Chanyeol’s canines were, sending a newfound rush of adrenaline into your system.

 

“Chanyeol!” You voice cracked helplessly as you pleaded for the vampire to halt his actions.

 

You felt his body freeze. It was for a mere second, but you used that second against him. Using as much force as you could muster, you pushed against his hold on your limbs. Surprisingly, Chanyeol didn’t resist, and allowed you to push him away. You scurried across the marble floors, as far away from him as you could.

 

Immediately, you brought you hand to your neck, tenderly feeling the spot where Chanyeol had dedicated his attention to. It stung like hell, as though a hot iron had branded you. You pulled your palm back, examining it.

 

Your breath hitched. The tips of your fingers were coated in blood.

 

Your gaze moved from your hand to Chanyeol, who was now several feet away from you. He seemed so unaffected by his actions as he stood there, his eyes returning to the yellowish-gray hue that they normally were. Your breathing quickened as you saw a thin trail of blood drip down from the corner of his lips to his chin. His eyes met yours, but the ferocity that was there mere seconds ago was now replaced with a look of concern, a look of fear.

 

He began to make his way towards you again, his hand extended in preparation to examine your neck.

 

You immediately held out the hand that was not covered in blood defensively.

 

“Stop!” Your frail voice shrieked, “D-Don’t come near me!”

 

You winced as the area that was pricked began to burn.

 

“Damnit,” You placed your hand back to the wound in hopes of alleviating some of the stinging pain. You shot accusatory daggers at Chanyeol with your gaze. “What the hell have you done to me?”

 

Chanyeol straightened himself, letting out an annoyed huff as he looked upwards towards the ceiling.

 

“What have I done to you?” After taking a deep breath, his eyes looked back down to meet yours aggressively. “What have you done to  _me_?!”

 

“I-I don’t understand,” You took a small step back, fumbling as you did so.

 

“Of course,” Chanyeol released another aggravated laugh, “How could you possibly grasp what you’ve done to me. I can barely wrap my head around it myself!”

 

“At least tell me what the hell just happened!” You met his icy tone, finally releasing the pent up aggression you had felt towards him since your first meeting.

 

“That’s what I’m asking you!” Chanyeol growled. “You’ve made me feel things I haven’t felt in centuries. How?”

 

You cowered under his combative stare. You couldn’t answer him. You still didn’t even fully understand what the hell he was talking about.

 

“How?!” He roared, his voice thundering across the open space and ricocheting off the walls. “How can you make me feel this human?!”

 

His hostile glare kept you frozen in place.

 

“I’ve never felt bad when hurting someone before. Thanks to my maker, I’ve never once had to worry about the blood on my hands, about the possibility of guilt.” Chanyeol stopped pacing, his accusatory glare returning to meet yours. “I’ve never wanted to protect something so desperately before, never felt like I was obligated to defend someone from harm.”

 

He bit his lip, and although his tone was harsh, he sounded more angry at himself than at you.

 

“But now I do.” His eyes narrowed. “Because of you, I’ve been feeling things I haven’t felt since I was turned by my maker four hundred years ago.”

 

“Because of you, I’m forced to participate in a fight I never thought I’d live to see.” Chanyeol ran his hands through his crimson hair in frustration. “A fight between obsessing over how human you’ve made me feel, and accepting the monster inside of me that wants to eradicate the threat to dominance.”

 

“A threat?” You stuttered, doing your best to remain calm.

 

A hostile ferocity burned behind Chanyeol’s brightly-colored irises. “After hundreds of years spent learning to accept the monster I’ve become, change is not something I can accept lightly.”

 

He sighed, turning his gaze upward, through the glass dome and to the stars.

 

“This is the first time I’ve ever felt like being accepted by someone is a necessity; that I need to be accepted in order to survive.” Chanyeol closed his eyes, a threatening growl rumbling across the open space. “But you insist on leaving me. Right when I’m beginning to… to… to fall for you.”

 

There it was. The words you were afraid of Chanyeol speaking the most.

 

“You keep  _disobeying_ me,  _running away_  from me,  _preventing_ me from sorting out these strange,  _new_ emotions.” He visibly tensed, redirecting his attention fully to you as you stood there, defenseless. “Well, you can’t run from me if I make you  _mine_.”

 

The color of Chanyeol’s irises shifted again, returning to the same violent shade of red as before. He let loose a villainous snarl, canines protruding as he bared his fangs.

 

“N-No, Chanyeol, y-you wouldn’t.” You felt an abhorrent emptiness within your stomach, fear clawing away at your mind.

 

“Oh, Angel-cakes, I thought you would’ve learned by now.” A smirk crept its way up Chanyeol’s lips, causing them to twist sinisterly.

 

“I’m not the good guy.”

 

Chanyeol was on top of you in an instant. Without the chance to utter a single plea, you were forced down onto the ground. Chanyeol hovered above you, straddling your hips whilst pinning your arms above you tightly with one hand. You were pushed down with such force that the air was knocked from your lungs, leaving you breathless on the cold tile floor, completely vulnerable to him.

 

“Now now,” Chanyeol muttered soothingly as he buried his head in the crook of your neck, “Be a good girl for me and don’t scream.”

 

“Chanyeol, please!-”

 

You took a sharp intake of air as Chanyeol dug his fangs deep into your neck, silencing you. As his canines broke the skin, your back arched off of the floor, your mind reeling at the excruciating pain that followed his bite. You felt something foreign pumping through your veins, causing every fiber of our being to feel as though it was on fire.

 

The sight of the starry dome above you doubled and slid back and forth as your vision waned. Chanyeol was taking your blood. You began to feel overwhelmingly lightheaded after what seemed like an eternity passed, but Chanyeol was unrelenting.

 

“Ch-Chanyeol,” You choked, unable to get the words out. “You’re- you’re taking- it’s too much-”

 

The virulent sound of Chanyeol drinking from your neck was the only remaining sense left as you went blind, and it wasn’t much longer before you were rendered unconscious.

 

* * *

 

 

You awoke with a gasp. Bright overhead lights blinded you as you opened your eyes. After blinking repeatedly, the softened images around you focused.

 

You were in the medical ward.

 

Squinting, you turned your head to the side, where your dilated eyes met those that belonged to Yixing.

 

“What-” You croaked, your voice hoarse.

 

“Shhh, drink this,” Yixing ran his hand through your hair comfortingly as he handed you a glass of water. “You’ve been out cold for fourteen hours.”

 

You nearly choked on the water you sipped on. “Fourteen hours? What happened-”

 

A sharp pain rang out within your head as a powerful migraine overloaded your senses.

 

“Hey, take it easy, Chanyeol took way more than he should’ve,” Yixing’s usually soft gaze hardened. He looked severely pissed as he turned around and muttered to himself under his breath. “He could’ve killed you.”

 

“What? Yixing, you aren’t making any sense-” As you tried to turn your body to face him, searing pain shot through every muscle in your body, originating at your neck.

 

You instantly winced, clutching the spot where the pain was coming from with your free hand. You felt a thick pad of soft gauze as you placed your hand over the afflicted area. It wasn’t just burning, it was beginning to itch. A fiery itch that clawed at your instinct to relieve it.

 

“It’s okay if you don’t remember everything, it’s part of the blood-loss.” Yixing delicately moved your hand away from your neck. “What’s more important is the bite.”

 

“The… The bite?” You stared wide-eyed at Yixing, whose brows furrowed as he stared down intently at the area where the gauze covered.

 

“There isn’t an easy way for me to say this,” Yixing sighed, backing away to sit down on the stretcher beside you.

 

You swallowed, the dryness and soreness of your throat making it painful to do so.

 

“Chanyeol marked you.”

 

Yixing’s eyes darted across your features in an attempt to read any reaction.

 

You spoke very slowly. “He…  _Marked_ me?”

 

“For vampires, it’s generally treated as a sacred ritual.” His eyebrow twitched, and you could tell he was doing his best to contain a hint of anger. “It’s something that is performed between mates, as a sign that the two parties intend to-”

 

Yixing took a deep breath and shook his head, looking around the room to avoid your gaze.

 

“Intend to do what, Yixing?” Your eyes begged.

 

“Intend to spend the rest of their lives together.”

 

Your heart lept into your throat, and your stomach lurched.

 

“It’s a bond that connects the two of you, and now, because of this mark, Chanyeol has officially claimed you as his mate.”

 

“His… His mate?”

 

Yixing nodded slowly.

 

“The bond caused by the mark is different for each couple. It can cause the two parties to fall even deeper in love with each other, share emotional or physical sensations, and, if manipulated to an extent, be used to command a mate’s obedience. Or, as seen in some of the more ruthless gangs-” Yixing bit his lip, taking a few seconds to contemplate whether or not to continue. “…If one of the two parties was forced into the bond, it can act as an agent to make them fall in love with the one who marked them.”

 

There were several moments of silence, in which the gravity of the situation was becoming apparent to you.

 

“I know it’s a lot to take in right now, but if I have any say about it, you will not leave me care.” Yixing breaking the silence broke you from your trance-like state. “I’ve already kept you here longer than I should. It’s time for me to take you back to your room.”

 

As your feet felt like jelly, Yixing pulled your arm around his shoulders and guided you back through the maze of corridors towards Chanyeol’s quarters. There, Yixing deposited you gently onto the bed, leaving you fresh water and giving you some medication to take before exiting the room.

 

After looking around the room, you realized that Eva was not present. Before you could fret over her whereabouts, however, the latch to the heavy metal door was thrown. The familiar creak resounded across the room, and you saw a flash of red hair from your position on the large bed. You began to panic. Your instincts told you to leap up from the bed, to run into the bathroom and prepare to defend yourself. Your limbs, however, were rendered useless. You fought to move them even the slightest, but they refused to budge. You wondered whether or not it was your panic, or the meds Yixing had given you.

 

Chanyeol made his way towards the bed slowly, stopped at the side of the bed hesitantly before decided to sit on the sheets beside you. You had expected his face to look confident, amused,  _satisfied_. But instead, his eyes spoke only of solemnity and desperate concern.

 

He extended his hand to examine the gauze that now covered your bitemark,  _his_ bite. You winced as he did so, causing him to recoil. He turned his head to look across the room as he spoke.

 

“They’ll be back soon to try and take you and the other seraph away from me, but now-” He turned his head to the side, his gaze burning deep into your own, stirring within you a sense of warmth. “Now, you belong to no one but  _me_.”

 

“Now, I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore.” His voice dropped an octave, his tone now soft. “Not even myself.”

 

He stood up abruptly, standing there awkwardly for a moment, as if he was hesitant as to whether or not he should sit back down. You felt part of yourself wishing he would. Instead, without a word, he turned and headed for the door. After hearing the latch snap shut, effectively sealing you in isolation.

 

Amidst the raging sea of thoughts that ransacked your mind, there was something that scared you more than the thought of Chanyeol falling in love with you.

 

Because now, you were beginning to come to the realization that you might be falling in love with him, too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This is another 3am special, but I’ve been working on this chapter for the past 8 hours straight x_x It’s a definite turning point in the series, and I poured my sweat and tears into this one~ Please please please let me know your thoughts on the series so far!! And sincerely, thank you so much for supporting my work! You, the readers, and just as critical as the writer who creates the work, and I appreciate every single one of you~
> 
> ~Nunchi <3


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, language, sexual situations, mentions of abuse, panic attacks, possible triggers, and lots of sexual tension

You jolted awake as someone wrapped their hands around your arm and began to shake violently. You sat up, the burn of your eyes adjusting to the dim lighting of the room matching the dull ache that resided at your neck.

 

“Wake up!” You lowered your head to see Eva knelt down at the side of the bed, whispering aggressively at you. “We don’t have much time together!”

 

“Eva?” You shook you head in an attempt to center your focus. “What… What are you doing here? Why… How did you-”

 

“I’ve… I’ve been with Kyungsoo. I haven’t been able to see you.” She cut you off, anxiety evident in her wide eyes, “But I’m here now. And I need to- need to tell you-”

 

Eva’s breathing became forced and rapid. You quickly threw your legs over the bed, earning a sharp influx of pain as you did so, and squatted down at the bedside next to her.

 

“Shhhh, Eva, it’s okay. Deep breaths, deep breaths.” You rubbed your hand tenderly up and down her back. Her wings had folded as tightly as they could go to keep them from becoming an obstruction, and you could tell by the way they were trembling that it took much effort.

 

“The gate,” Eva wheezed, regaining a supply of air to her lungs, “The gate to go back… To Seraphim…”

 

Your hand froze.

 

“I’ve- I’ve been watching it the entire time… I’ve been here… It’s opens- it follows a pattern.”

 

“Eva…” Your eyes grew big with concern as Eva refused to meet your gaze. “How long have you… How long have you been here?”

 

All of her muscles tensed as her movements froze. “That’s… Not important right now. What is, however, is that we need to be at the gate when it opens. I’ve seen the beginnings. The signs. A week. That’s how long we have. We have to be at the gate in a week. A week. We have to- we have to be there, we have to-”

 

“It’s okay, Eva,” You leaned forward to cradle her head in your arms as she began to ramble in a transient daze. “We can get out of this place together. Alright? We can go home.”

 

She looked up at you, her sleek and bedraggled, raven-colored hair falling into her eyes. “We can?”

 

“Yes, Eva, I swear we will. I swear I will get you home.”

 

For the first time ever, you saw the traces of a hopeful smile flitter across Eva’s lips.

 

A smile that was short-lived.

 

The familiar, cacophonous grating noise sounded, followed closely by the metal door being flung open quickly and violently. Your head jerked up to identify the intruder. A familiar face. One that wore only black jeans and a simple black T-shirt to match his ebony locks.

 

_Kyungsoo._

 

“Eva,” His black, soulless eyes reflected the lack of emotion in his voice as his gaze hardened. “I told you never to run away from me  _again_.”

 

Eva looked up at a lethargic pace, all energy drained from her aura. After only a few seconds of silence, she began to sob, pressing her back against the edge of the bed defensively.

 

“She- she isn’t doing anything wrong, Kyungsoo.” You placed yourself in front of Eva protectively. “She should be allowed to stay. That’s- that’s what Chanyeol said.”

 

Kyungsoo stalked towards the two of you, a ominous shadow following his footsteps as he neared. “Chanyeol put Eva under my supervision.”

 

He stood at your feet, towering above you now.

 

“You can’t take her,” You solidified your voice, a surge of guardianship instilling within you a sense of confidence.

 

“Yes.” Kyungsoo bristled. “I can.”

 

In a flash, Kyungsoo reached behind you, gripping onto Eva’s wrist and yanking her out from behind her cover forcefully. She let out a weakened scream as she fell forward into Kyungsoo’s arms, against his chest. The veins on his arms rippled and became prominent as he locked them around her shoulders to combat her violent thrashing.

 

“Kyungsoo!” You protested, but his eyes only narrowed as he sent you a venomous glare.

 

Without another word, Kyungsoo gripped Eva’s waist and threw her over his shoulders before turning around, heading back towards the door.

 

“Kyungsoo! You can’t!-”

 

Your cries were silenced by the cantankerous slam of the grated door. Your instincts kicked in and you ran to the door as it shut, beginning to bang your fists against it ferociously.

 

“Bring her back! Kyungsoo!” Tears fought their way to the corners of your eyes as you continued to pound relentlessly against the door. “Bring her back! Bring her back! Bring her-”

 

Suddenly, the door cracked open, and you stumbled backwards. You continued to scoot away from the door as it opened slowly. The familiar red glint of Chanyeol’s hair appeared on the other side, and he made his way into the room. You were breathing heavily, your heartbeat picking up as your eyes met.

 

You found yourself at a total loss for words as his gaze burned a hole through your heart.

 

“Eva will be fine.” Chanyeol’s baritone voice finally shattered the awkward silence. “I have ordered every living thing under my jurisdiction that, under penalty of death, no one is to lay a hand on her, or you, without my explicit permission.”

 

“But Kyungsoo-”

 

“-Will follow orders.” Chanyeol’s eyes narrowed slightly before his expression softened. “I haven’t come here for that, though.”

 

You sent him a quizzical glare.

 

“I came to extend an invitation. For a walk.”

 

Your hands instinctively balled into fists, prepared for whatever binding method Chanyeol had planned to lead you outside of his room.

 

“No, Angel-cakes.” Chanyeol looked down at his feet with a sad smile, shaking his head, “No ropes. No ties. No blindfolds. Today we are just two people out to enjoy the beautiful weather together.”

 

Chanyeol’s smile widened as he extended his hand to you, being mindful to give you some personal space.

 

A deep feeling hidden somewhere within your gut urged you to take his hand without hesitation. You fought this urge, along with the peculiar desire to believe him. Nevertheless, you slowly extended your hand towards Chanyeol’s and he encased it gently within his own.

 

Before you had a chance to trust your better judgement, Chanyeol turned around and led you through the door. He quickly closed it behind him and began to walk, leading you at a leisured page through the familiar, monotonous maze of corridors. This time was different though.

 

This time, you weren’t fearing for your life.

 

You realized that you should be, considering the fact that it was still Chanyeol who was guiding you to an undisclosed location. But you felt something  _different_ this time.

 

You felt  _safe_.

 

“About Eva,” Chanyeol’s soft tone echoed through the desolate hallways, ripping you away from your thoughts. “You don’t have to worry. Kyungsoo would never hurt her.”

 

“How can you be so sure?” You were surprised by how small your voice sounded in comparison to his.

 

Chanyeol’s grip around your hand tightened as he laced his fingers with yours.

 

“Because he’s in love with her.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

You were too speechless to respond to Chanyeol’s statement. And much sooner than you thought, Chanyeol had arrived at a large, open room with a staircase leading up towards a set of doors that gleamed in the dim light.

 

He led you up the stairs and placed both hands on your shoulders, a gentle smile on his lips as he looked down at you. He then walked around behind you, and before you could ask him what he was doing, your vision was obscured. His large hands were placed over your eyes. Your heartbeat quickened, but you reminded yourself that it was okay to trust him.

_What am I thinking? Is it really okay to blindly trust him like this?_

 

“Relax, Angel-cakes.” Chanyeol’s deep voice reverberated quietly behind your ear. “Now step forward, and push them open.”

 

You swallowed, unsure of how to proceed. After taking a deep breath, you inched forwards, and continued to do so until your hands came into contact with the smooth coolness of the marble door.

 

It took a tremendous amount of effort, but after a final exertion of force, the weight began to shift, and momentum pulled the doors away from you. Almost instantly your eyes were met with a bright redness; an intense light that was partially shielded by Chanyeol’s hands.

 

_Light._

 

After taking a few more tentative steps, you froze.

 

The sounds. Sounds you hadn’t heard in what seemed like an eternity. Of birds chirping. Of water trickling down a stream. Of wind blowing in and out and around the knots of tree branches.

 

Chanyeol slowly moved his hands away from your face, leaving your eyelids still closed.

 

“Go on. Open your eyes.” His rustic voice encouraged you from behind.

 

Your eyelids fluttered, slowly allowing your pupils to adjust to the light. And for the first time since you had been taken, your world was in color. You took a few more steps forward as you drank in the world of bright hues and smells and sounds that surrounded you. You inadvertently began to smile as your gaze swept over large fields of flowers and plant life of all shapes and colors that stretched for hundreds of feet before being bordered by the tall pine forest. The sun was nigh, the cloudless blue sky giving everything a stark background that breathed life into it. You couldn’t stop yourself from running straight into the nearest field, throwing yourself against the softness of the grass and dandelions that occupied it. You laid down on your back, wings unfurling and stretching out to the full extent of their wingspan for the first time in weeks. As you gazed into the sky, you wished harder than ever before that your wings were well enough to fly. You wanted the freedom that came with having them. It had been so long since you last flew. Could you even remember how? You closed your eyes and soaked in the warmth and healing of the sun on your battered skin.

 

The moment of pure bliss lasted for a minute longer, before you heard Chanyeol clear his throat.

 

“I figured we should have some time to ourselves, and, well-” You saw him scratch the back of his head, looking up at the sky, “I figured, at the very least, you deserved to be treated a little better for once.”

 

It would’ve been a lie to say that Chanyeol’s apologetic words did nothing to affect you.

 

You sat up. “Shouldn’t we be preparing for an attack? You said yourself that your rivals were ready to wreak havoc on this place.”

 

Chanyeol sighed. “I’m not worried. It will take several days for Kris to mobilize whatever forces he needs to try and take me and my men down. And when he does, we’ll be ready to spring our plan into action. And, thanks to a little informant of ours, we’ll know as soon as they so much as step a foot outside of their den.”

 

“I think you’re underestimating them.” Shiver’s traversed across your body as the memories of your previous abductions swarmed your mind. “…You have before.”

 

Chanyeol was beside you in an instant, squatting low in the grass by your feet.

 

“Hey, listen to me,” He reached out and grabbed the tip of your chin delicately, forcing you to look him in the eye, “No one is going to take you anywhere. I’m not letting that happen again, you hear me?”

 

The intense stare between the two of you lasted longer than you were comfortable with, the only sound audible being the gentle wisp of the breeze as it blew your hair to the side. His eyes were a deep shade of amber, so calm, so different than the ones that pierced your soul the night he attacked you. These eyes seemed to speak silent words to you. Words of security, of hope, of  _affection_.

 

You bit your lip, forcing yourself to rip your gaze away from his. “Why did you bring me out here?”

 

Chanyeol leaned back, running a hand through his hair. “I decided that it was time for us to be a little more honest with each other.”

 

“What?”

 

“You heard me,” He tilted his head slightly, a playful grin making its way onto his face, “We can make it simple, just an open discussion between two people.”

 

Chanyeol stood up, dusting off his dark jeans before extending his hand to help you up. You accepted it, allowing him to pull you to your feet. He used his free hand to gesture to a thin path that skirted around the fields and flowerbeds.

 

As the two of you began to walk, you realized that it wasn’t just you who was having a difficult time sparking up a conversation. You took a deep breath and decided to dive in head first.

 

“It’s hard to believe that something so beautiful is right outside your door. Literally.”

 

Chanyeol nodded, keeping his hands behind his back as he walked. “I’m actually a pretty studious nature fan. Since the society of vampires, wolves, and other hybrid creatures lives so far up in the mountains, the isolation allows for a lot of scenery. This mountain used to be home to a rather large population of human townsfolk, but most moved south, towards the cities. Hence the worn down warehouses. Sometimes I just like to come out here and clear my head. I’ve done a fair amount of research.”

 

Chanyeol gestured to a large conglomeration of blue flowers as he kept walking. “Those over there are called  _Meconopsis Betonicifolia_ ,” He then pointed at a lengthy strip of deep red at your feet, “And these are  _Anthuriums_ , otherwise known as Laceleaf.”

 

“Wow,” You took in the appearance of the flowers that Chanyeol described. “I didn’t know someone like you could be so into…  _Flowers_ , of all things.”

 

Chanyeol halted in his tracks, turning around to send you a charismatic smile. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me Angel-cakes.”

 

Your face heated.

 

“Speaking of  _Angel-cakes_ ,” Chanyeol turned back around on his heels, beginning to walk again. “Are you ever going to tell me your real name?”

 

You gripped the frills on the edge of your smock nervously. “The names given to us as Seraphim are holy. Giving my angelic name to someone would mean…” You sucked in a deep breath. “It would mean giving my entire existence to them.”

 

Chanyeol was silence for a few moments, processing what you had just told him. “There must be  _something_ I can call you. I feel like Angel-cakes is a little… Impersonal.”

 

You bit your lip again as tension carried the stagnant silence between the two of you.

 

“(y/n). You can call me (y/n).”

 

“(y/n)?” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows and looked upwards, “That sounds oddly…  _Human_ for a seraph.”

 

“It’s kind of like a nickname.” Your fingers tightened around the edge of the fabric on your dress. “One I got a long time ago.”

 

“Oh really? What’s it for?” Chanyeol sounded genuinely curious.

 

“I-” You stared at your feet as you continued walking forward, “It was given to me by someone I was the guardian of.”

 

“So… You were someone’s guardian angel?” Chanyeol turned his gaze to you, but you couldn’t meet it.

 

You gave a gentle nod. “Being a guardian means having their life in your hands. You have the ability to intervene; to save it. Normally, seraphs are only given one assignment to guide and protect.”

 

Chanyeol bent his head to read your expression. “Where are they now?”

 

Your hands balled into fists, your teeth threatening to draw blood with how hard you had been biting down on your lip.

 

“Hey, it’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it. How about you just ask me anything you want to know. That’s simple, right?” You looked up to see Chanyeol smiling at you. You felt at peace, the way he looked at you with genuine care.

 

“A-Alright.” You released the edge of your dress from your hands, wiping them on the bodice. “I’ve noticed that you’re fond of your crossbow… But, I’ve never seen you use it.”

 

“It’s true; I take it with me everywhere I go.” Chanyeol took in a deep breath, maintaining his smile. “I’ve never shot it, because I have only one reason to.”

 

Once he saw that you were still listening intently, he continued.

 

“Kris.” Another deep breath. “One of these days, I’ll be the one to kill that bastard and remove him from my past once and for all.”

 

“But-” You interjected before you caught yourself, “Didn’t he say he was your maker?”

 

“He is.” Chanyeol’s smiled disappeared, his jaw now clenched. “And if he dies by my hands, I would have to face the consequences.”

 

Your silent eyes urged him on.

 

“Death.” Your breath hitched at his words. “By killing my maker, I, too, would die. It’s a connection that forces several vampires to serve as servants to their makers. Something that I will never do.”

 

“Then, how do you intend on killing him?”

 

“Ah, now isn’t that the question.” His cheeky smile returned. “I guess we’ll find out one of these days.”

 

“About that,” Your throat began to close up. “I… I wanted to thank you.”

 

At Chanyeol’s confused glance, you elaborated. “For what you did. You saved me from him, when he was trying to-” You took in a shaky breath of air to calm yourself. “If he had continued to force himself on me like that, if I had been taken by such a vile creature, then I would’ve lost everything dear to me.”

 

“You mean… Your virginity is important, as a seraph?”

 

You nodded, thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed. “I wouldn’t have been able to return home ever again.”

 

Chanyeol nodded in understanding. “You’re welcome to ask me anything else you would like to know.”

 

You were grateful for the change of subject. Your mind began to whirl, struggling to come up with a proper question, being in a daze now that you were presented with the opportunity to ask them.

 

“You’re… Vampires.” You began hesitantly. Chanyeol nodded curtly. “And you… You need to drink… Blood. In order to survive.” Chanyeol nodded once more. “So… Where… How do you…”

 

Chanyeol answered in monotone. “We kidnap the children from the neighboring town once a month and bring them back to the clan where we drain them dry.”

 

Your eyes doubled in size to match your heartrate. You froze in your tracks.

 

Chanyeol walked a few steps more before turning around to face you, his expression still stone-cold. An icy silence permeated between the two of you for what seemed like hours. You felt your palms get sweaty, your breath quickening. You didn’t know how to respond, you couldn’t bear to think-

 

Suddenly, Chanyeol hunched forward, hands on his knees, and began to laugh uncontrollably. His laugh grew more and more advantageous as time progressed, and you half expected him to fall over.

 

You had never heard him laugh before.

 

After a good minute, Chanyeol straightened himself, looking up with teary eyes to glance at your significantly confused expression.

 

“I’m- I’m sorry,” He wheezed, still gasping for air. “The opportunity was right there. I-” Another burst of laughter. “I can’t believe you actually fell for that.”

 

“You- you mean-”

 

Chanyeol shook his head. “Oh, (y/n).”

 

You shivered at the way he pronounced your name. Hearing it come from his lips sparked something inside you to quell the confusion and anger.

 

He took a few steps towards you, toothy grin still apparent. “We have a symbiotic partnership with the townsfolk a few miles from here. We make sure they are safe from any undesirables, and in return they offer themselves every once and awhile for us to feed. We make sure it’s consensual and that we only take what we need. You’d be surprised how long we can go without feeding, so we don’t take much.”

 

Your mind was still spinning at the incoming information. “When was… The last time you fed?”

 

That caused Chanyeol to pause. “I haven’t. Not since…” He trailed off.

 

You subconsciously brought your hand up to the gauze on your neck.

 

He pursed his lips together into another smile, “Anything else on your mind?”

 

You put your hands behind your back as you began to walk forward, past Chanyeol. “The future. That’s been on my mind a lot lately.”

 

“It has for me as well.” You felt his presence close behind you.

 

“What do you intend to do with me, here?” Your voice became cold, harsh. You wanted answers. You wanted to know the truth. “What happens when this is all over?”

 

“I don’t intend to use your blood anymore, if that’s what you’re asking.” Chanyeol’s tone turned serious.

 

“And why is that, exactly?” You were getting defensive, and you couldn’t put a pin on why.

 

“Because the tests proved it to be too unstable. Because it’s caused more harm than good.” He paused, and the silence returned, the only sound being that of footsteps on the dirt trail. “Because it’s done nothing but hurt you.”

 

“But you’ll still keep me here.” You tried your hardest to disregard the hurt in Chanyeol’s voice. “You’ll keep me here just like another spoil of war.”

 

You began to walk faster, keeping your gaze fixed ahead of you. “Well, tell me this, Park Chanyeol. If there was a way for me to return home, would you let me go? Would you set me free? I think we all know the answer to that. To you, I am nothing but an object that you can play God with.”

 

Chanyeol picked up his pace, jogging in front of you before whipping around and placing his hands on your shoulders, stopping you. Your attempts to push past him proved futile. You were forced to look him in the eye.

 

“You are my mate, (y/n).” His amber eyes were glowing, a passionate ferocity waiting to escape from behind his irises. “Which means that from now on, you are just as much mine as I am yours. I think of you, I care about you, I  _need_ you. Only you, (y/n).”

 

“And I’m supposed to believe that? After all you’ve done to me? I’m supposed to believe that despite the hell you’ve put me through, that now, all of the sudden, you’re in love with me?” You threw Chanyeol’s hands off of your shoulders. “Yixing told me about the mating bond, Chanyeol. I know everything now. I know about the persuasion, I know about the significance, I know about the fact that it’s made you have feelings for me.”

 

“(y/n), you can’t possibly think that I’ve only started to acquire affection for you until recently. And you can’t deny it,” His gaze burned into your own, “I know that somehow, somewhere, you’ve started to feel the same.”

 

“And now you’re manipulating me, on top of everything you’ve already done.” You hissed, “I know about the compulsion, Chanyeol. I know that the bond  _forces_ me to have feelings for you. That isn’t love. That’s a lifetime of lies.”

 

“What?” Chanyeol was taken aback. “(y/n), the likelihood that the bond forced you into feeling something towards me is extremely low, there’s still a chance that-”

 

“That what?” You cut him off, fuming at this point. “That these feelings are genuine? That I’d actually fall in love with someone like  _you_?”

 

Pain shot across Chanyeol’s expression, and both of you fell silent. Your insides churned at the sight of him dejected, but you reminded yourself that it was just the bond, telling you that your feelings for him were real.

 

“I’m tired of being a puppet. I’m tired of being the weak one. I’m tired of being defenseless.” You gritted your teeth, pushing past him and continuing to stalk angrily onwards.

 

You didn’t make it very far, however, before a sharp pain stung at the bottom of your foot. The fiery sensation traveled up your leg, causing you to crumple to the ground. You clutched the tip of your foot as the pain spread.

 

Chanyeol was at your side almost immediately. Somehow, you knew he would be.

 

He shifted to kneel in front of you, delicately lifting your foot into his lap. Without a word, he examined it. You let out a pained groan as he pressed into the inflamed area.

 

“It’s alright,” Chanyeol cooed in a deep voice. You’d be lying if it didn’t soothe you. “You just stepped on a thorn. It’s a pretty big one, but the plant isn’t anything poisonous.”

 

“You have a nasty habit of injuring yourself.” He ripped the edge of his gray shirt, creating a lengthy strip to use as a bandage. “I’m going to have to pull out the thorn now, okay?”

 

You nodded, just wanting more than anything else for the stinging to subside.

 

“One, two-” His index finger and thumb closed around the foreign object, yanking it out before he finished his countdown and causing you to yelp. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”

 

A soft smile returned to Chanyeol’s face, but didn’t last long. Now that the thorn had been removed, a thin trail of blood began to pour from the open wound it left behind. You tensed as his gaze lingered on the gash, unwavering. The quiet stillness returned. You were too scared to move, for fear of setting off a trigger that would ignite Chanyeol’s inner monster.

 

“Ch-Chanyeol.” Your voice was barely audible as you spoke quietly, tentatively.

 

He immediately blinked, his eyes darting to the sensitive skin surrounding the open cut on your foot. Without hesitation he wrapped the gray cloth around around it, tying it tenderly yet secure enough to stay in place. Chanyeol then shifted back to your side, placing a hand on the underside of your arm to help you to your feet. You accepted the help, the majority of the pain already having vanished.

 

“Thank you.” You mumbled, embarrassed, as you pulled a stray piece of hair behind your ear.

 

Chanyeol gave you a curt nod, his expression still largely serious, attentive, and full of concern. “Can you walk?”

 

“Yes,” You sent him a weak half-smile, “I can barely feel the sting anymore.”

 

He took a deep breath, taking several seconds on the exhale as he ran his fingers through his hair.

 

You hated it when he did that. Whenever he did that, the bond would make your heart rate quicken. Not a lot, just enough to remind you of how trapped you were.

 

“You said you were tired of feeling defenseless.” You were surprised by his words, turning your head to look him in the eye. “If you’re up for it, I can teach you how to defend yourself.”

 

“…What?”

 

“It’s not much, but I can show you a few self-defense tricks.” Chanyeol’s mannerisms became much shier. “If… If that would make you feel safer.”

 

You gripped the edge of your dress again, contemplating Chanyeol’s offer. You really didn’t have anything to lose at this point, and despite your outburst, you didn’t want your disheartening words to fester in his mind.

 

“Okay,” You sent him a confident smile, “Where do I start?”

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn’t a very long walk to get to Chanyeol’s preferred practice arena. A wide, smooth dirt pit was his setting of choice, and several of the trees had been repurposed for his gear to hang off of. It was in the deep wood, however, and the isolation made your hair stand on end.

 

He walked towards the center of the pit, and gestured for you to follow. You obliged, swallowing the lump in your throat in an attempt to suppress the second thoughts you were having.

 

You needed this. You were tired of being the weaker party. At this point, anything would be better than nothing.

 

Taking a deep breath, you stepped forward into the ring, the cool softness of the earth crumpling underneath your feet.

 

“Now, the first thing I’ll be showing you is the basic method to escape someone’s hold on you from behind.” Chanyeol was now in instructor mode, all evidence of tenderness gone from his voice. “If I’m ever making you feel uncomfortable, I want you to say Blue Jay. Do you understand?”

 

_An odd choice of words._

 

You nodded. Adrenaline was pumping into your system now, spurring on your excitement. Chanyeol moved behind you, wrapping both of his arms across your torso and effectively pinning your arms in an X shape against your chest. The firmness and warmth of his body pressed up against you caused your face to warm considerably. Even by inhuman standards, he was strong.

 

“This is the position most attackers will go for first. It’s easy, efficient, and allows for them to continue the attack in any way they see fit.”

 

He broke away from his hold, causing you to release a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding.

 

“Now, when I have my arms around you, I want you to turn your palms outwards.” Chanyeol demonstrated, crossing his arms and turning his hands to face you. “Then, I want you to pivot your hip, and shift your weight so that you are leaning forward.” Another demonstration. “And finally, bring your leg forward, then kick it back, targetting my knee. Do you understand?”

_Looks simple enough…_

 

You nodded.

 

“I need words, (y/n).”

 

“Yes, I understand.” You swallowed another hard lump.

 

“Good.” Chanyeol moved to position himself behind you once more. After assuming the posture he did before, he spoke softly, right behind your ear. “Okay (y/n), we’ll take it slow this time.”

 

You nodded.

 

“Wrists.” He commanded.

 

You rotated your hands accordingly.

 

“Weight.”

 

You shifted your body weight to the right side, angling your hips inward and leaning forward.

 

“Kick.”

 

You brought your left leg out before sharply pulling it in to kick his kneecap.

 

“Good. Quicker this time.”

 

After repeating the motion numerous times for the past several minutes, you had gotten the rhythm down, able to effectively perform the move in real time.

 

“Good work, (y/n),” Chanyeol smiled down at you, partially amused at how out-of-breath you had become. “We can stop here. I’ll teach you more basics tomorrow.”

 

As he began to walk past you, you caught the edge of his worn, gray shirt. He halted in his tracks. You clutched the corner of his shirt, your fingers gripping it so tightly your knuckles became white.

 

“What if I don’t want the basics.” You spoke softly, almost too quiet for any human voice to register. “What if… I want defense against someone… Someone forcing themselves on me.”

 

It was painful to release those words. Painful to relive the situation Kris had forced you to experience.

 

Chanyeol was quick to pick up on your distress. He turned around extremely slowly, as though he was afraid he would break you with any sudden movements.

 

His eyes were now full of sadness. “Listen, (y/n), I don’t think it’s a good idea to recreate something as scarring as that so quickly. I could never. You could easily-”

 

“I don’t care.” Your hands trembled. “When it happens, you don’t have time to prepare. You don’t have time to think. All you have time for is to pray.”

 

Chanyeol’s jaw clenched, his face still full of hesitancy.

 

“Please, Chanyeol.” You gazed deeply into his skeptical expression, hoping that he would acknowledge your pleas. “Please. I want to be able to protect myself.”

 

Chanyeol closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Without opening them, he spoke firmly, the deep baritone of his voice ordering you.

 

“Go to the center. Lay down on your back. Place your hands at your sides and spread your knees apart.”

 

Letting go of his shirt, you went to obey his command, pressing your back against the dirt and pulling your knees up before widening the gap between your legs. You turned your head to the side to see Chanyeol hadn’t moved. His eyes were still closed, and he was taking several deep breaths. In, and out. In, and out.

 

He was preparing himself for what he was about to do to you.

 

After a few more breaths, Chanyeol slowly opened his eyes and walked towards you. You noticed that his hands were tightly balled into fists.

 

He knelt down at your feet, pausing before proceeding. “Safe words.”

 

“Blue Jay.” You pushed the words from your throat as it hardened painfully.

 

_You can do this. You can do this. You have to do this. You won’t be weak. Not anymore._

 

“Good.” Chanyeol scooted his hips forward until he was pressed up flush against you.

 

The warmth of his jeans on your thighs caused shivers to shoot down your spine. He kept a few inches between his hips and the backs of your thighs. You took a deep breath to calm yourself.

 

“How are you holding up, Angel-cakes?” The familiarity of him softly speaking his nickname for you calmed you down a surprising amount.

 

You looked down at him and nodded.

 

“Words, Angel-cakes. I need words.”

 

“I’m alright.”

 

“Well done.”

 

After confirmation that you were okay, Chanyeol lowered himself, placing his hands on either side of your head. He hovered above you, sure to leave a significant amount of space between your chest and his.

 

“Alright, the first thing I need you to do is place your hands on my shoulders.”

 

You did so, your small palms remaining flat against his muscle.

 

“Now, I want you to shift your weight so that your hip scoots backwards, and your shoulder comes forward, so that you are facing perpendicular to me.”

 

You rolled onto your side slightly, pushing away and keeping a firm lock on your arms that kept his chest away from you.

 

“Well done. Now, I need you you press your leg up on my knee. Can you do that for me?”

 

Your foot came forwards to press against his thigh in response.

 

“Very good. Now push off with that leg and, keeping a firm grip on my wrists, I want you to push away from me and aim your kick towards my face.”

 

Very slowly, you did as you were told, using the foot on his thigh to distance yourself from him, before pulling your knees close to your chest and aiming to kick at Chanyeol’s face. You were hesitant, but reassured yourself and extended your leg forcefully. Chanyeol’s agility was no joke, quickly dodging your feet by ducking his head to the side.

 

“You keep kicking. And you don’t stop. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes.” You answered, your voice small.

 

“Good, now let’s run it again, in order this time.”

 

Chanyeol sat back on his knees and waited for you to come closer. You appreciated how respectful he was of your boundaries, but you knew that the distance he was giving you was mightily impractical.

 

You sat up, earning you a quizzical gaze from the vampire across from you. “Chanyeol, listen. I understand and appreciate the space you are giving me in order to make me more comfortable. But you know as well as I that what you just showed me is unrealistic. The men who want to do this to women don’t care about personal space, so please, stop treating me like I’m about to break and teach me how it’s really going to happen.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice dropped to a frighteningly low octave. “Are you sure?”

 

You blinked. There was no turning back now.

 

“Yes, I’m-”

 

Without letting you finish, Chanyeol forcefully pushed your backwards, causing you to fall back roughly. You coughed, out of breath due to the impact, but in an instant he had grabbed your wrists, pinning them above your head. His hips slid forward, leaving no room between your hips and his. He lowered his body, only a few inches separating your chest from his. We was so close, pressed up against you, that the heat of his body caused you to shiver.

 

As Chanyeol lowered himself, his forehead was now a hair away from your own. His gaze bore a hole through your own as he looked at you with desire locked away behind his auburn eyes. You could feel his breath on your cheek, and it was then that your senses were screaming at you. They ordered you to run, to scream, to beg. But there was something else, something buried deep that began to work its way outside of its prison cell.

 

A desire that matched his.

 

“Is this better?” Chanyeol’s voice lowered, his expression giving away nothing.

 

Without meaning to, you bit your lip nervously, causing an instantaneous reaction from Chanyeol as an animalistic growl erupted from the back of his throat.

 

He lowered his face so that his lips were an inch away from your ear.

 

“Tell me you don’t want this.” He placed a gentle peck of his lips to the skin right beside your ear. “Tell me that this is wrong.”

 

“Chanyeol, the bond-”

 

“Tell me that what you’re feeling right now isn’t real.” He began to lower his lips, trailing soft, slow kisses down your jawline. “Tell me how you’ve fought the desire as much as I have.”

 

“I- I-”

 

The more you fought it, the more you realized that you  _did_ want this. You felt the insatiable need grow within the pit of your stomach. Whether it was the because of the bond or not, you needed it. You needed  _Chanyeol_.

 

“I can’t-” Chanyeol raised his head up just enough to stare deep into your trembling orbs, “I can’t control myself anymore.”

 

His lips crashed into yours. The softness of his mouth coming into contact of your own was contrasted by the rough necessity of his actions. You didn’t fight him this time. You gave him access to every inch of yourself that you could. His lips trailed their way back down your neck, the intensity of his kisses leaving several bruises in their wake. After making his way back up, Chanyeol bit down on your bottom lip, drawing out a moan from you.

 

He pulled back just slightly, allowing the two of your to catch your breath.

 

“(y/n),” He was just as breathless as you were, his eyes locking back onto your own. “I… I love you.”

 

“Chanyeol…” Your lungs heaved for air, and you tentatively met his gaze. “I-… I think I-”

 

“Chanyeol, sir!” A foreign voice silenced you immediately.

 

Both of you jerked your heads towards the source, your eyes falling on Baekhyun, your bodyguard. Chanyeol was off of you in an instant, and you felt yourself confronted with the urge to whine at the loss of proximity. You instantly sat up and straightened yourself, however, now realizing the scene that Baekhyun had just walked in on.

 

“Report.” Chanyeol barked, his voice artificial and emotionless.

 

“I’m terribly sorry for… Interrupting, sir, but-” Now that you had a moment to study Baekhyun, you realized that he was out of breath. “But-”

 

Something was wrong.

 

“Spit it out, Baekhyun!” Chanyeol barked, becoming irritated.

 

“The base, sir,” Baekhyun panted. “It’s, it’s the base.”

 

Chanyeol’s aggressive growl returned. “What about it?”

 

Baekhyun swallowed.

 

**“It’s under attack.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you ever so much for your patience with my crazy schedule ;~; it’s been hectic. I know this chapter doesn’t have any action-y parts, but I promise the best is yet to come!! I hope this was to everyone’s satisfaction! And as always, please let me know your thoughts on the series! <3
> 
> ~Nunchi


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: (LOTS OF) Violence, blood, language, possible triggers and themes of death/mentions of death/death

Chanyeol’s hands balled into fists at his side.

 

“How is that  _possible_?” His growl was beyond vicious. “Everything was planned. Everything was under control. We saw everything. We knew  _everything_ -” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes in an attempt to compose himself before he continued.

 

You sat up immediately, pulling your knees towards you.

 

 _They’re here. They’re coming for you. They’re always coming for you. They’re going to find you. You should’ve known they would never stop pursuing you. You should’ve known you were never_ safe _._

You hadn’t realized that your breathing had become labored until you forced your eyes open to see Chanyeol kneeling at your side, a look of concern spread across his face.

 

“Hey, hey, (y/n), listen to me,” Chanyeol’s large hands reached out to cup your face, his thumb swiping your cheek affectionately. “Everything’s going to be okay. I will sort this out. No one is going to take you- hey!”

 

As your focus drifted, he jerked your chin up to look him directly in the eye.

 

“ _No one_  is going to take you away from me.” Your breathing slowed as your eyes nuanced the way his bright red hair blew with the soft breeze. “Alright?”

 

You nodded slowly. Chanyeol nodded his head in sync with yours in reassurance, his stark, unwavering stare sending a chill to your core. After a few more seconds locked in each other’s gazes, Chanyeol stretched out a delicate hand to your arms and helped you to your feet.

 

“I need you to listen to me, (y/n).” His calloused hands now firmly gripped your shoulders. “I’m going to head back to the base with Baekhyun, and you will  _stay here_.” At the hint of your protest, he continued, cutting you off before you could interject. “You are going to climb that tree over there, and you _will not move_. I will send Yixing to come for you. He and he alone is responsible for taking to you the bunker. _Do you understand me_?”

 

You nodded, fighting the anxious tears that threatened to gloss over your vision.

 

“Good.” Chanyeol wrapped his hand around your wrist and walked at a heated pace to the tall pine a few yards away. He halted at the base of the tree. “Now climb.”

 

You complied, stretching your fragile arms as far as they could go to latch onto the lowest branch, which was still several feet off of the ground. Chanyeol quickly placed his hands at your waist and gave you a hefty push that allowed you to reach it. You rooted both feet on the thick branch, gripping the trunk with both hands for balance.

 

Chanyeol looked up at you from below. “Just stay hidden in the tree until Yixing arrives. I’m going to head back with Baekhyun. But-” He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he did so. “In case you need it…”

 

He reached behind his back, down the side of his calf. After a short tug, you saw a silver, shimmering object in his hands.

 

_A knife._

 

Chanyeol said nothing as he grabbed the tip of the blade between his fingers, stretching the handle of the weapon out to you. You gulped nervously, taking the dagger from him and pulling it close to your chest with both hands. Chanyeol turned to leave, but after taking a few steps, he abruptly halted in his tracks. His back was to you as he spoke.

 

“I  _will_ keep you safe. No one is going to harm what is most precious to me.” You could feel the ground rumble and vibrate with the intensity of the growl that erupted from Chanyeol’s throat. “No one is going to lay a hand on  _my mate_.”

 

And with that, he sprinted across the grassy opening, over to where Baekhyun leaned against a tall oak. He was still panting and out of breath. “We have to hurry, sir, there isn’t much time to save what we can.”

 

Chanyeol gave a curt nod. As Baekhyun darted off into the woods, however, Chanyeol remained still.

 

_He was hesitant._

 

Staring at the forest floor, he took a deep breath in, clenching his fists at his sides.

 

And just like that- he was gone.

 

 

Time seemed forever still. Seconds, minutes,  _hours_ could have passed without your knowing, yet your system was in overdrive; the adrenaline never ceasing to course through your veins as you waited.

 

The coarse bark of the tree began to rub and slice at your skin, festering cuts and swollen red patches at your hands and feet.

 

And yet, as the sun became fully obscured behind the horizon line, you waited.

 

Keeping one hand on the trunk, and the other tightly clutching the handle of the knife Chanyeol had given you, you waited.

 

_Was Yixing really coming?_

 

You bit your lip, picturing the worst case scenario.

 

_What if something happened to him… What if something happened to Chanyeol, and he never-_

 

_**Snap.** _

 

Amidst the dark, eerie silence of the forest, a twig had been broken.

 

Every nerve in your body tensed, your ears alert and palms sweating.

 

_Snap._

 

Your head jerked to the side in the direction of the second noise.

 

_Was it… Was it Yixing?_

 

Slowly, you stood to your feet, pressing your back against the trunk of the tree to steady yourself. Warily, you took one step forward on the branch, keeping one hand on the base and another extending the knife into the darkness.

 

_Snap._

 

Your breath hitched.

 

Suddenly, you felt the tree begin to shake. You instantly opened your mouth to scream but were silenced as a rough hand silenced you from behind. You began to struggle ferociously, flailing against the unidentified attacker that wrapped his lanky arms around your waist, pressing you against him tightly.

 

“Shhhh,  _shhhhh_ ,” Your thrashing became more violent as the assailant began to whisper in your ear, hot tears beginning to slide down your cheeks.

 

“Hey-” The harsh whisper silenced your muffled sobs. “It’s me, sweetheart, it’s me.”

 

_That voice._

 

Your body stilled.

 

“ _Shhhh_. It’s me, it’s Yixing.”

 

You closed your eyes and let out a lengthy exhale of release. The hands at your waist turned you around to face him. Yixing’s glistening purple eyes gleamed back at you. He kept his palm at your mouth, however, staring deep into your frenzied eyes.

 

“I was followed,” He continued to whisper in a hushed tone before slowly removing his hand from your lips, bringing a finger to his own in the ‘ _stay quiet_ ’ gesture. “They’re everywhere.”

 

You nodded slowly, understanding the weight of the situation.

 

Yixing jerked his head to the right, then to the left, then back to the middle, closing his eyes.

 

“They’ve moved on from this area,” He let out a relieved sigh. “We have to move quickly.”

 

In a flash, Yixing had swung his arms underneath your legs, lifting you into his arms bridal style before leaping down from the tree. You were too surprised at the action to scream, your senses disorientated once Yixing placed you gently on the ground.

 

“We need to head to the bunker,  _quickly_.” He extended his hand to you, necessity aflame in his eyes.

 

You reached your hand out to meet his, and were taken aback when Yixing placed it on his shoulder. He knelt down on the forest floor, ushering you to climb onto his back. He then took the dagger from your hand, sliding it into an empty sheath on his belt. Hesitantly, you wrapped your arms around Yixing’s neck. He looped his hands around your legs, shifting your weight onto his back. You felt the cool. smoothness of his leather duster on your skin, sending shivers down your spine. Yixing took the dagger from your hand, sliding it into an empty sheath on his belt.

 

“Hang on tight.”

 

In an instant, Yixing took off into the convoluted darkness at an inhuman speed. With grace unexpected of such an innately violent creature, Yixing breezed through the dense underbrush of the temperate forest. You tucked your head into the crook of his neck, your knuckles turning white as you gripped the black leather of his collar. Slowly, you felt a distant, increasing sense of warmth against your skin. As the seconds passed, the heat grew more present.

 

You looked up from behind Yixing’s shoulder. As the end of the forest approached, you noticed a faint red glow, obscured by the treeline. Yixing finally pushed past the thick brush, out into the open plains of the mountain. The red glow was instantly blinding as the cover of the plantlife was taken away.

 

Fire.

 

There was fire.  _Everywhere_.

 

The entire warehouse was consumed with it.

 

Hot, liquid rage poured from every window. The grey exhaust of smoke shrouded the night sky, obscuring the rays of moon and starlight as it expanded across the mountainside.

 

“Yixing-” Your wary voice began.

 

“I know,” His voice came out low and calm. “But the entrance to the bunker is underground.”

 

Your hands tightened around the edge of his collared jacket.

 

“Don’t worry,” Yixing’s tone became firm. “I will not let anything happen to you. I will get you to the bunker safely, exactly as Chanyeol has instructed me to do so.”

 

You took a deep breath, preparing yourself as Yixing neared the amassed chaos of flames.

 

You trusted Yixing. You  _believed_ in Chanyeol.

 

Yixing rounded the massive warehouse, arriving at the back entrance of the garage; the only building that had was not consumed in fire. Yet. It was here that Yixing eased you off of his back, allowing you to stand on your own two feet. Bending over, Yixing pulled the knife Chanyeol had given you from its holster.

 

“Keep a firm grip on this,” He handed the blade to you, “And always stay close to me.”

 

You gave the faintest inkling of a smile in response. Yixing reached behind his coat and pulled from it two handguns. He turned to you, giving you a weak smile as well before immediately kicking down the metal door. Guns drawn, he stalked into the room quickly with you following closely at his heels. Inside the garage, remnants of fire licked up the concrete walls. Vans were littered with bullet holes, shattered glass was sprawled across the floor in heaps, and pools of blood trailed to more than a few unmoving bodies.

 

You hand quickly came up to your face to muffle a shocked gasp. The other remained tightly locked around Chanyeol’s dagger.

 

You were so intent on scanning the aftermath of the bloody conflict that took place that you didn’t realize Yixing had stopped walking. With a soft  _thud_ , you ran into him.

 

“Someone’s here.” He growled.

 

Your hair was on end, your breathing becoming raptured.

 

Silence.

 

You bit your lip. “…Yixing-”

 

“Watch out!”

 

Yixing’s foot came into contact with your chest, sending you flying backwards with unnatural force. Your back collided with the side of a van with a sickening  _crack_. The air was taken out from your lungs upon impact, making breathing painful and preventing you from making your pain audible. You lifted your head to see Yixing, standing with both guns aimed at not one, but  _two_ leather-clad assailants.

 

“My, my, what have we here.” The taller of the two, one bearing several tattoos and stark white hair, began to pace around Yixing tauntingly. “It seems as though we’ve found the little birdy.”

 

Although his back was to you protectively, you could hear Yixing’s deep, amused chuckle.

 

“Eyes up here,  _rat_ ,” Yixing snarled. “Or have you forgotten what happened the last time you went face to face with one of the Hunters.”

 

 _The Hunters_. You remembered Chanyeol referring to his men this way. They were his hunting dogs. His most trusted soldiers. And Yixing was a part of them.

 

“When’s the last time you’ve  _fed_ , Yixing?” The shorter, stockier intruder with a scar down his left eye snickered. “You don’t look like you’re doing too well.”

 

“Well then,” Yixing chambered rounds for each of his handguns. “Why don’t you come and find out.”

 

Gunfire shot out across the open garage, and your hands came up to cover yours ears instantaneously. You watched as Yixing fought off  _both_ assailants, holding his own with impressive ease. At least, it was that way at first. What the shorter enemy had said about Yixing not feeding must’ve been true, because as the fight progressed, you saw the exhaustion creep onto his features like an illness.

 

With a sharp roundhouse kick, the white-haired vampire had sent one of Yixing’s guns flying across the garage. Followed up by the scar-faced one twisting Yixing’s arm at an unnatural angle, the other gun fell to the floor, leaving your defender completely unarmed.

 

“Yixing!” You cried out as you watched the scar-faced vampire hold a knife to his neck, keeping his arm bent in a painful position between his shoulder-blades.

 

“Alright, little bird,” The white-haired vampire stepped over a few dead bodies as he began to make his way over to you. “We’ll keep things simple. Come with us, or doctor-boy here buys it.”

 

As he neared, you stood to your feet, drawing the dagger Chanyeol had given you and holding it out in front of you offensively.

 

“We don’t screw around, little  _bird_ ,” The white-haired vampire lunged forward, gripping your throat within his hand and shoving you against the car door forcefully. His eyes rolled back in pleasure as he took in your scent with a deep breath. “Mmm. Maybe just a taste-”

 

Suddenly, a loud crack reverberated throughout the desolate space. Your attacker’s head whipped around to see his colleague crumple to the floor, lifeless as his head twisted nearly one-hundred and eighty degrees.

 

Yixing stumbled to his feet, blood trickling down from a gash on his forehead.

 

Pressure was relieved from your throat as your assailant released his grip on your windpipe, turning to face the one who had just killed his comrade.

 

“It seems you continue to forget what happens when you provoke the Hunters.” Yixing’s lips curved into a confident smirk.

 

“You bastard,” You could feel the rage emanating from the tattooed vampire. “I’ll tear your limbs off one by one for that!”

 

In the blink of an eye, they were in the heat of combat. Although Yixing had no weapon, his affluent dexterity allowed him enough time to evade his opponent’s attacks. After several moves made in defense, Yixing landed a high roundhouse kick to his enemy’s head, sending him crashing to the ground. Yixing took this allotted time and turned to you urgently.

 

“Run!” His deep purple eyes pleaded with you, his tone commanding. “Get out of-”

 

In just a few seconds, the enemy had recovered, launching himself full-force at Yixing and tackling him to the ground. The white-haired vampire now straddled Yixing’s waist. He mercilessly began to lay punch after punch, Yixing helpless to defend himself. After several relentless hits, Yixing roared, using an extensive amount of inhuman force to shove his attacker off of him. Yixing quickly grabbed his opponent’s arm, using it to pull his enemy toward him at a high speed, only to have his face brutally come into contact with Yixing’s elbow, resounding in a sickening crack. The white-haired vampire staggered backwards, blood now gushing from his nose. You saw the enemy reach for something behind his tailcoat. From it, your eye had caught what he possessed: a shimmering, lengthened blade, resembling that of a katana. Yixing took a deep breath in, composing himself.

 

It was skin against steel.

 

With his back still facing you, you heard his voice deepen as he spoke.

 

“When I tell you to run,” His tone left no room for argument. “ _Run_.”

His opponent only grinned, licking his lips maliciously. Yixing growled, positioning himself in a prepared stance.

 

“Run!”

 

Although you remained reluctant to leave Yixing, you knew you had to get away from the fight as soon as possible. Picking up the knife on the ground, you scrambled to your feet and began to run for the far edge of the garage, towards the entrance gate. You didn’t look back. You didn’t slow down. Despite avoiding the dangerous streaks of broken glass, your feet collected the remnant shards that were unavoidable. The pain became dull, however, as your mind was bent on making it to the door.

 

However…

 

Agonizing, anguished yells of pain caused you to freeze in your tracks. It was Yixing. You whipped around, and nearly screamed at the scene you bore witness to.

 

The enemy. 

 

His hand gripped tightly around Yixing’s hair, forcing him to his knees.

 

The  _sword_. 

 

Lodged directly through Yixing’s chest.

 

Time slowed, and you were forced to watch as the enemy twisted his blade deeper, causing spurts of blood to eject from Yixing’s lungs.

 

It felt as though a stone had wedged itself in your throat. Unable to cry. Unable to scream. Unable to breathe.

 

Time abruptly reverted itself as Yixing’s attacker swiftly removed the blade from his chest. You watched, helpless, as Yixing’s body dropped to the ground. Unmoving.

 

You didn’t have time to react before the white-haired vampire turned his attention away from his kill, towards  _you_. Stumbling backwards, you turned around and continued to bolt for the door. You could hear him approaching, taking his time, as though leisurely stalking an injured animal.

 

“Come, come, little birdy.” His sickeningly twisted, cheerful tone rang out across the empty space. “Will we continue to play cat and mouse?”

 

You nearly crashed into the door once you reached it. Using every fiber of strength left within you, you heaved the rusted, metal latch open, shoving the door closed behind you as you slid inside. After relocking the hatch, you kept running. It was a corridor you were unfamiliar with; one full of wires and worn-town technical equipment.

 

It wasn’t long before you heard the door slam open distantly behind you.

 

“Oh, little birdy~” You felt the compulsive urge to vomit at your pursuer’s sing-song voice.

 

After continuing to run, or, more accurately, limp to the end of the corridor, you reached an open room, full of thick electrical wires and metal staircases that reached several levels of technical panels and outlet conductors. Thick pipes and rubber tubing protruded from the walls and ceiling, and without hesitation, you slid in-between two of the large metal pipes.

 

Pressing your back against the coolness of the metal pipe, you clutched the dagger Chanyeol had given you close to your chest.

 

“Little  _birdy_ ,” You closed your eyes and winced at the sound of that sickening voice.

You could hear his boots clink against the metal grating of the floor.

 

You tilted your head ever so slightly to the side, peeking above the cover of the pipe to see him approaching.

 

This was your only chance.

 

He was close now.

 

So  _close_.

 

“You’re  _next_.”

 

He was passing right behind you now. After taking one final breath, you engaged your aggressive fight or flight response. You spun out from behind your cover, dagger in hand, and with a furious yell, plunged it directly into your attacker’s chest. Surprised by your attack, the white-haired vampire staggered backwards, his gaze locked on the blade that protruded from his torso. You stepped backwards, helpless to watch as he suddenly gripped the handle of the knife. Your breathing became rapid as you watched him ever so slowly begin to  _pull_ the dagger from his chest. Once fully removed, the blade was dropped to the ground with a loud  _clank_.

 

His eyes now locked on to yours.

 

Taking another step backwards in shock, you realized just how screwed you were.

 

And so you turned, as quickly as you could, toe over heel, and bolted.

 

But you weren’t quick enough.

 

You shrieked in pain as a hand latched itself within your hair, pulling you backwards with enough force to evoke tears. Your hands immediately came up to claw at the ruthless grip on your scalp. Crying out, you were thrown like a ragdoll as the vicious vampire threw you against the wall, your back snapping painfully after colliding directly with the brunt of a pipe.

 

“We could’ve avoided all of this.” Your vision blurred and doubled as you saw your assailant approach you. “None of this had to happen. That was, of course, until your black-haired loverboy had to go back on his word.”

 

“Wh-what?” You coughed, a sticky red puddle ejecting itself from your lungs.

 

“And now, all we had to do was sneak in another mole.” His face was level with yours, his sinister red eyes piercing you down to your core.

 

You shut your eyes tightly as the white-haired vampire wrapped his hand around your throat.

 

He smiled villainously, fangs protruding from their roots.“You never saw it coming.”

 

_This was it._

_They had you._

_It was over._

 

“And I bet you didn’t see  _this_ coming, you  _jackass_.”

 

Suddenly, your assailant was ripped away from you.

 

You shook your head to center your vision on what was happening. You forced your eyes open, and nearly burst into tears at the sight you were witnessing.

 

“Y-Yixing!-”

 

“Maybe you should do your research before you fuck with some Hunters.” Yixing snarled, his enemy’s throat caught within an unwaveringly tight grip.

 

Your gaze drifted to Yixing’s other hand. He was wielding the same sword that had been used to stab him.

 

“Looks like you’re out of luck.”

 

In the blink of an eye, Yixing dug the tip of the blade into the white-haired vampire’s chest. You watched as Yixing released his grip on the vampire’s throat, letting him drop to the floor before using both hands to vehemently snap his neck.

 

It was over.

 

The moment that the white-haired vampire’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, Yixing fell to his knees. You scurried to his side. He was covered in blood, no doubt a mix of his own, along with his enemy’s. He looked barely conscious.

 

“Yixing, Yixing!” You cupped his face as his body fell slack against yours. “No, no no no, Yixing stay with me.”

 

“I’m- I’m alright.” He sputtered, blood continuing to pour from the gash on his forehead. “I, just used up all of my power… To heal myself.”

 

“To… To heal yourself?” You looked down at him in shock. It was then that you realized his stab wound was completely closed, leaving behind the mere blood stains on his white shirt.

 

“I can- I can make it.” Yixing coughed and began to shift his weight in an attempt to stand.

 

“What are you doing, Yixing?” You did your best to support his weight, but he was too weak, and fell back to his knees quickly. “Yixing…”

 

After scanning your surroundings in a frenzied manner, your eyes landed on a thin cut on your wrist.

 

“Here.” You barked, newfound confidence lacing your voice.

 

As you pressed your wrist to Yixing’s lips, he merely turned his head away in disgust.

 

“I can’t. I would never-”

 

“This is the only way Yixing! I’m not giving up on you!” You grabbed the side of his face with your other hand. “Please Yixing… I can’t lose you.”

 

Yixing’s reluctant gaze slowly turned to meet yours. His eyes were filled with apology as he quickly licked up and down the wound before sinking his canines into it. You flinched, the fiery pain coursing throughout your system. Yixing continued to drink slowly,  _patiently_ , for another minute before releasing your wrist. You watched as, almost like magic, color began to fill Yixing’s features. The bags under his eyes disappeared, and you could feel his heartbeat strengthen.

 

Without a word, Yixing straightened himself, shifting himself to kneel beside you. Silently, he ripped at the ends of his shirt, producing a thin strand of white cloth. He took your hand into his own tenderly, wrapping your wrist in the makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding.

 

“Thank you.” Yixing’s eyes refused to meet your own.

 

“Hey,” You placed your uninjured hand on Yixing’s shoulder. “I would gladly give my blood to you if it meant saving your life. Do you understand?”

 

Yixing merely nodded, still refusing to meet your gaze.

 

“You protected me, Yixing.” You smiled as his head looked up, eyes meeting yours. “That is a damn good reason on it’s own. Alright?”

 

Yixing gave you a curt nod. He stood to his feet, helping you to your own. It was as you finished standing up that you realized just how much of a toll the night had taken on you thus far.

 

“Hey, take it easy, sweetheart.” Yixing cooed, placing one of your arms around his shoulders to support your weight. “We don’t have much farther until we make it to the bunker. Just stick with me until then, alright?”

 

You nodded, wincing as you took the first step with him.

 

“Where is-” You sucked in a breath as the glass shards in your feet sent needle-like pain to your brain. “Where is Eva?”

 

“Chanyeol ordered Kyungsoo to take Eva to the second bunker. It’s in the mountains.” Yixing kept a firm arm wrapped around your waist, mindful of your wings. “She’ll stay there with three other Hunters. Kyungsoo, however, was told to report back to the main bunker; the one with you.”

 

_They wanted to keep you separate, in case one was taken._

 

“And she’s-” You swallowed a lump in your throat. “She’ll be safe?”

 

“Jongin, Sehun, and Xiumin are all in charge of defending her with their life.” Yixing smiled softly, keeping his gaze locked forward. “There’s no way anyone will make it past those brutes.”

 

You looked down at the ground and nodded in understanding.

 

“You said something about… Something about  _powers_?”

 

“Ah yes, well.” Yixing cleared his throat. “Each of the Hunters has been around for more than a few centuries. We’re some of the first-generation vampires. With that, comes a certain…  _discipline_ , if you will, over a certain ability or element. Mine is, as you could’ve guessed, regeneration and healing.”

 

“Then…” Your curiosity sparked, yet you quickly became embarrassed at the notion of vocalizing your question.

 

Yixing smiled to himself. “You’re wondering what Chanyeol’s is, then?”

 

You nodded meekly.

 

“His nickname amongst the Hunters is the fire devil. He has the most destructive power out of the rest of us. He rarely uses it, though. All of us are hesitant to use our semblance because of the exhaustive amounts of energy it takes.”

 

“The fire devil…” You pictured Chanyeol’s fiery personality, as well as his bright crimson hair. The name certainly fit.

 

There were a few awkward moments of silence between the two of you as you continued to limp through the wreckage of the sectioned-off warehouse.

 

“Um… Yixing?” You were able to squeak out.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Can you… Could you…” You took a deep breath. “Can you tell me more… About the mate bond?”

 

“There… Isn’t much I can explain, unfortunately.” Yixing sighed deeply, his supportive grip on your waist never faltering. “There are no certainties with mate bonds. Every bond is unique and can vary drastically from others depending on the situation. And we’ve… We’ve never had an instance where one of our kind has mated with a seraph. Since it’s a rather…  _Recent_ development.”

 

“Oh,” You couldn’t hide the disappointment on your face. “I see.”

 

“I take it you are struggling to learn whether or not your feelings for Chanyeol are real?” Yixing’s expression softened.

 

You could only nod twice, too shy to admit to the daunting topic.

 

“While I can certainly tell Chanyeol’s feelings for you are entirely pure and genuine,” Yixing’s jaw clenched. “I’ve been having a hard time pinpointing the validity of yours. There is something…  _Different_ about your attraction to Chanyeol. Something I can’t quite put a finger on.”

 

“Something…  _Different_?”

 

Yixing nodded, deep in thought. “One thing it for sure though. The bond would not have worked the way it did if there was no previous attachment.”

 

“…What?”

 

Yixing slowed his pace as the two of you approached the foot of a large metal door.

 

“The way the bond works for you. There is no doubt a strong presence of connected empathy.” Yixing halted, now in front of the gate. “Empathy that would only be present if you already had feelings for him to begin with.”

 

You opened your mouth to question his response, but were abruptly cut off as Yixing interjected.

 

“Here we are.” He cleared his throat. “Once you’re inside, it’ll take hell and highwater for them to get to you. Chanyeol is waiting inside with more Hunters, no doubt.” He took in a deep, relieved breath. “We made it.”

 

Upon Yixing’s approach, the metal door in front of you creaked and groaned into motion. Once it had opened just slightly, you and Yixing maneuvered your way into the bunker it protected. After limping down several flights of stairs with the help of Yixing, you had arrived to the safe room.

 

Torches lit the open, concrete room, illuminating tables with papers askew, metal lockers that housed an entire arsenal, along with the faces of several other residents.

 

One of which being Kyungsoo himself.

 

He walked up to the two of you, seemingly untouched by the hellfire that consumed the area just outside those doors. “Good job Yixing, Chanyeol will be glad to know she’s safe.”

 

You scanned the crowd of worn vampires, all of whom had faced the brunt of battle fairly recently. Your eyes continued to analyze each face, each height, each hair color. You recognized Jongdae amongst the crowd; someone was tending to a nasty gash that ran down the side of his face.

 

_…But._

 

“Yixing-” Your throat began to close up. You faced him with anxious eyes. “Where’s Chanyeol?”

 

Yixing looked as perturbed as you did, and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Kyungsoo’s interjection.

 

“Neither he nor Baekhyun have returned yet.” His grim, emotionless voice echoed throughout the room.

 

“How long…” You took a minute to swallow a lump that had formed in your throat. “How long have they been gone?”

 

“It’s been one hour.”

 

“No, no-” You clutched Yixing’s shirt as you continued to lean against him. “Something must be wrong. You have to send some people to-”

 

“He gave me strict instructions that all mobilization efforts were to be held off unless he didn’t make it here on time.” Kyungsoo’s gaze hardened.

 

“How long did he say it would take him?” You were almost too afraid to ask.

 

“No more than one hour.”

 

You had the empty feeling that something was wrong. “Then certainly you can send someone out now, since-”

 

“There’s someone at the gate!” You heard a vampire sentinel shout from his position at a table, computer screen illuminating his face.

 

Your heart rate picked up, and you let out a sigh of relief. Chanyeol had kept his word. He had made it to the bunker, and was never going to distance himself from you again.

 

“Open the gate!” Kyungsoo’s voice roared across the safe room.

 

The consequent groaning of the door opening from the level above could be heard, and a few moments later, so could the inconsistently pattering of footsteps down the stairs.

 

One.

 

 _One_ pair of footsteps.

 

Something was wrong.

 

Something was very,  _very_  wrong.

 

A large thud came from the other side of the second door, causing everyone except Kyungsoo to flinch. More repeated thudding. No one approached the door. Eventually the latch was thrown, and the door cracked open.

 

A man completely covered in blood stumbled into the room, collapsing as soon as he made it past the door.

 

Your breath hitched. “…Chanyeol?”

 

The man staggered to his feet. His face was barely recognizable, but it didn’t take long for everyone in the room to come to the same realization.

 

It was Baekhyun.

 

“They-” The bloodied vampire wheezed, his words barely intelligible. “They-”

 

Silence froze the atmosphere.

 

“They have Chanyeol.”

 

Upon uttering those words, Baekhyun collapsed to the floor.

 

“Baekhyun!” Jongdae pushed the girl attending to him aside, sprinting to appear at his colleague’s side almost instantly. “Baekhyun, what happened? Who did this to you? Where’s Chanyeol?”

 

Jongdae’s questions were silenced by the sound of muffled white noise resounding across the bunker, originating from Baekhyun’s jacket. Jongdae slowly reached his hand into the bloodied pocket of Baekhyun’s coat, pulling from it a small, two-way radio speaker. The blank radio noise hazed in and out of focus, abruptly ending with the appearance of a voice on the other end.

 

“Ladies and  _gentlemen_.”

 

There was no mistaking that voice.

 

It was Kris.

 

Kyungsoo immediately stalked forward, ripping the radio from Jongdae’s hand and bringing it to his lips aggressively.

 

“Listen here, you son of a bitch,” He hissed, “This better not be what I think it is-”

 

“ _Hello_ , old friend.” Kris’s signature, cocky voice rang loud and clear from the other side of the mic. “It looks as though my carrier pigeon has successfully arrived.”

 

More muffled white noise. And then-

 

“-(y/n)? (y/n), can you hear me?”

 

It was Chanyeol.

 

You ran to Kyungsoo’s side, ignoring the immediate discomfort that came with abandoning Yixing’s support. You took the radio from Kyungsoo’s hands and clutched it tightly within your own.

 

“(y/n), listen to me, it’s a trap, it’s nothing but lies-”

 

You heard a sickening  _snap_ that was the unmistakable sound of someone being struck to the ground.  _Hard_.

 

“Now, now, Chanyeol, is that any way to talk to your  _mate_?” Kris’s malicious tone sent shivers down your spine.

 

“Listen, Angel-cakes.” Chanyeol croaked from the other end of the line. “I’m dead either way. Let me do something right for a change. Let me keep you safe.”

 

Another strike. This time you could hear Chanyeol’s grunts as he took the beating.

 

Your hands began to tremble violently, so much so that Kyungsoo had to take the radio out of your grasp.

 

“Alright Soo, you know the drill, and you know we don’t screw around.” Kris’s sinister tone leaked through the intercom, continuing to send shivers down your spine. “Bring the seraph. We release your leader.”

 

Both you and Kyungsoo looked up from the speaker, making apprehensive eye contact with each other, both too hesitant to speak.

 

“You have six hours.”

 

The line went dead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> after eight hours of trying to figure out how to hell one conveys this, HERE’S CHAPTER 12 :D I hope it’s a satisfying update (how many of y’all seriously thought I wanna gonna kill off poor Yixing… I mean c’mon guys, I’m not that mean) it seems as though every time I get time to write, something has to come along and take up my free time x_x I’m still going to try and update the other two things this weekend guys!! I’ll continue to do my best!! Please continue to look forward to more updates, because from here on out, shit hits the fan~
> 
> PS: please forgive the probable numerous typos… I’ve been working on this sucker for hours and I just wanted to get it posted ^^” sorry
> 
> ~Nunchi <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This chapter has been the hardest piece of writing I’ve written to date, you guys. I spent four days straight wrestling with this one. All I am going to say is,[hold your breath.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Y5z3jei_U)_
> 
> Warnings: (LOTS OF) Violence, blood, language, possible triggers and themes of death/mentions of death/death

“You’re going to get him out of there,” You stared into Kyungsoo’s deep, emotionless black pools. “Right?”

 

Kyungsoo faced you slowly, meeting your gaze with one that turned your blood stone cold. His face remained void of all sympathy as he turned his back to you and walked away.

 

“Kyungsoo!”

 

Everyone’s heads turned. You found yourself in shock of the volume and desperation in your voice. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you continued.

 

“You  _are_ going to get him out of there.” You lowered your voice, asserting yourself as Kyungsoo continued to walk away from you.

 

Your blood was boiling as Kyungsoo continued to ignore you. You stalked up to him, hands balled into fists at your side as you caught up to him and halted in front of his path. Kyungsoo was determined, however, and brushed past you with ease.

 

“Kyungsoo!” You gaped at him in shock. “You have to do  _something_!”

 

This caused him to stop in his tracks, his face still facing you as he spoke.

 

“I am doing something,” He growled, the air around him vibrating with a threatening aura. “And that something is going to keep the clan alive.”

 

Your anger could not longer be controlled, and you ran up to him, grabbing his arm and forcing him to look you in the eye. “And by  _something_ you mean you are going to let him  _die_.”

 

The air was tight between the two of you as his stone-cold stare bore straight into your own, yet you refused to back down.

 

“The clan is my priority.” Kyungsoo deadpanned. “Nothing else matters.”

 

As Kyungsoo turned around to walk away from you again, you gripped his elbow. Kyungsoo froze, taking in a vehement breath in frustration. You could tell his patience was wearing dangerously thin.

 

You didn’t care.

 

“Chanyeol is your leader.” You dropped your voice, your tone conveying the seriousness of the situation, as well as your stance on it. “You can’t just  _leave him_.”

 

Kyungsoo’s jaw clenched as he threw off your grip on his arm. His head turned to stare down at you, his expression sending shivers down your spine.

 

“The clan has a new leader now.”

 

 

The sterile glint in his eye caused you to stagger backwards.

 

“You- you can’t be serious,” You shook your head in dismay. “You can’t-”

 

Kyungsoo turned to face you fully, taking a domineering step forward. “As Chanyeol’s second in command, I believe I very well can.”

 

Taking a deep breath, you straightened yourself confidently. “Well, if  _you_ won’t be sending help his way, I damn well won’t just sit by to watch. I think I’ll take my leave-”

 

You didn’t make it two steps past the raven-haired vampire before your wrist fell victim to his inhuman speed and strength, consequently twisting it at an abnormal angle and causing you to cry out in pain.

 

Kyungsoo kept you in place, the excruciating grip he had on your wrist as he held it above your head preventing you from moving. Your eyes began to water as you looked up at him in utter shock.

 

Apathy.

 

That’s all that you found in his eyes. Apathy.

 

“No one is going  _anywhere_.” The vicious tone of his growl left no room for debate. After neither of you conceded to defeat, Kyungsoo beckoned to his men, his gaze continuously locked onto your own. “Junmyeon, Luhan, take her to the bunker cell and make sure she stays there.”

 

Your eyes widened in fear.

 

“No…” You began to struggle against Kyungsoo’s iron grip despite the pain, shaking your head in disbelief. “No, no, no, no, Kyungsoo-”

 

Before you could further protest, two of Kyungsoo’s men, one well-built and the other strong and lanky, looped their forearms around your biceps. You kicked, you screamed, you thrashed for all it was worth, but it was futile to win against their inhuman strength combined.

 

“Kyungsoo!” You screeched as the two vampires dragged you out of the bunker’s iron double doors. “He would’ve done the same for you! He would’ve done it, you hear me! He would’ve-”

 

The doors shut, cutting off the rest of your strangled yells from ever reaching Kyungsoo’s ears.

 

“ _Ugh_!-” You huffed, maintaining the struggle as the too well-built vampires dragged you down the dim corridor. “Let go of me!

 

They remained stoic and silent as they approached a single holding cell at the end of the hall. Your kicks and protests became increasingly violent as you neared it. The imminent realization hit you like a freight train. Once inside, there was no escape. No means for you to get out. No means for you to help rescue Chanyeol.

 

No means for you to save your mate.

 

After a final indignant, infuriated yell, you were thrown into the cell with little remorse, your body becoming an undignified heap on the wet concrete floor. In an instant you were on your feet, whipping around to face the two men who were now locking you inside your new prison. You ran for the barred gate as soon as it closed, your knuckles turning white as you wished more than anything that you could rip the rusted iron apart. Neither Luhan nor Junmyeon looked you in the eye the entire time, and one could’ve easily assumed the crestfallen expressions they wore were the result of  _guilt_.

 

“Hey!” You called out as they turned from you and began to walk away. “He would’ve come for you… I hope you know that!”

 

There was no response. You felt your legs begin to tremble as their silhouettes became engulfed within the shadows the dim lighting was unable to reach.

 

Immediately, you began to pace back and forth along the bars, the pain in your legs and feet long forgotten. While nothing could beat the disparity that you felt as a captive in Chanyeol’s private quarters for weeks on end, this felt much different. Never before had you felt so desperate, so  _helpless_ to ease the burning itch you felt deep in your soul. At this point, mate bonds be damned. You realized that, despite the hell he had put you through here on earth, Chanyeol was one of the few allies you had.

 

He may have been a monster, but he sure as hell didn’t deserve to die like one.

 

You groaned in frustration, grasping the bars with your bruised hands and leaning your head against the cold metal.

 

You had to get out of here.

 

Sure, you knew what everyone would tell you. That Chanyeol was a monster, a demon, the  _devil_. That you were to one with so much more to live for. That his days of living as the leader of his clan were coming to their rightful end. That you deserved escape, not him.

 

And still, you scoffed at the thought. This was a man who had now spent centuries of his life being forced to fill the shoes of someone he was not prepared to be. A man that fought for survival, even if it meant turning into something he was disgusted of. Most of all, this was a man who, after living his entire life desensitized to the pain and hurt of his actions, was starting to feel human again.

 

You wouldn’t just sit here and let that chance be taken away from him.

 

You were a seraph, after all, and if there was one thing you learned being a guardian spirit for all this time, it was that  _anyone_ could earn redemption.

 

Your fists clenched hard around the cold, rusted bars, and you began to beat your head against them repetitively.

 

_Why can’t-_

 

You hit your head against the bars softly.

 

_Anyone be-_

 

Thud.

 

_Reasonable down here?_

 

“You’ll hurt yourself if you keep that up, dollface.” Your head jerked up, and your eyes caught those of Baekhyun himself. “I’m sure there are more efficient ways of letting out pent-up frustration.”

 

You ran to where he was leaning against the wall beside your cell, pressing your body up against the bars in desperation. You found yourself at a loss for words as you scanned his body. His wounds were more or less completely healed.

 

“How… How did you-”

 

“Ah,” Baekhyun lifted his index finger to his forehead, giving you a knowing gesture. “Vampire, you see. Doesn’t take so long to get us back on our feet.”

 

“So then,” You bit your lip, “You’re prepared to let Chanyeol die like the rest of them?”

 

“On the contrary, just because one heals quickly doesn’t make torture any less painful.” Baekhyun smirked before reaching behind him to pull out a metal ring.

 

Keys.

 

“I, personally, would like to get back at the son of a bitch that gutted me and sent me back as a bloodied carrier pigeon.” His mischievous smile widened. “You?”

 

You clenched your teeth, your fingers tightening around the bars.

 

“What’s your plan?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

You had to admit, you didn’t expect Baekhyun to successfully help you escape from the bunker.

 

Yet here you were, in the middle of the mountainous woods as pale moonlight flittered through the trees,, following closely behind him as he led you farther behind enemy lines.

 

“Don’t you think…” You looked over your shoulder as the snapping of a twig in the distance heightened your paranoia. “Don’t you think that was a little too easy?”

 

“Well,” Baekhyun huffed, trudging through the thick brush and doing his best to clear the way for you to trail behind him. “If you count hacking the entire base’s surveillance and replacing several video feeds with old footage, along with decoding the encrypted locks on every door we passed through as  _easy_ , then yes-”

 

You flinched as Baekhyun took the short sword strapped to his back in his hands, abruptly cutting an overgrown vine from his path.

 

“-Yes it was.”

 

“You  _hacked_ the system?”

 

“That’s what I do, love,” Baekhyun peered over his shoulder and flashed you a cheeky grin. “If there’s room for radio signals, there’s room for me to screw with shit.”

 

You bit your lower lip and continued the hike. “How much farther do we have until we reach the rendezvous point?”

 

Baekhyun grunted as he cut down another lengthy branch. “We still have a bit to go, but it isn’t too far.”

 

Staring down at your feet, your gaze hardened as you walked. “I still can’t believe Kyungsoo would…”

 

You bit the inside of your cheek, refusing to finish your statement.

 

“Can’t say it came as a surprise to any of us Hunters.” Baekhyun deadpanned. “We all saw it coming.”

 

“W-What?”

 

Baekhyun didn’t relent his pace through the woods as he responded. “It seemed as though, to the rest of us, Kyungsoo had just been waiting for the right time to take control of the clan. When talk came ‘round of there being a spy, well, our suspicion was raised.”

 

Your brows furrowed in thought. “You think he’s the one responsible for the information leaks?”

 

“Everything that went wrong happened around the same time as his ‘mysterious absences’. Not like the rest of us could really voice any of our doubts, though. Being the second in command and all, we knew Chanyeol wouldn’t tolerate insubordination. Even Yixing kept quiet, which surprised the rest of us.”

 

You were trying to wrap your head around this information.

 

_Kyungsoo refused to help Chanyeol because… Because he’s already sided with the enemy?_

 

Still, it didn’t add up to you.

 

“What about Eva?” You swallowed a hard lump in your throat. “He… I didn’t think he would-”

 

“I’m pretty sure God himself couldn’t comprehend that relationship.” Baekhyun’s tone darkened. “I don’t know much. But I  _do_ know they have history… A  _lot_ of history. Enough to last longer than I’ve been a vampire.”

 

_Eva…_

 

You hoped she was alright. Although you didn’t know where she was hid or how she was doing, you trusted the vampires’ desire to stay in control of the situation enough to believe she was still alive. When this was all over, the two of you  _would_ return to Seraphim. Justice would be enacted, Chanyeol could return to lead his clan, and at last, you would be  _safe_.

 

“So this plan of yours,” You kept your tone serious, “You say it’s fool-proof?”

 

“Of course, love.” He looked behind to send you a wink. “Just do as I say, and we’ll get you and the ol’ fire devil out in no time flat.”

 

“And what about you?” You questioned. “What makes your fealty greater than the rest of the Hunters?”

 

There was a long pause.

 

You pressed on. “What makes you so dedicated to helping him?”

 

Baekhyun froze his movements, straightening himself. You scooted to a halt, quite a bit surprised at his actions.

 

“He’s the closest thing to a brother I’ve had in decades.” Baekhyun bristled, tension filling the space between the two of you. “…I had to watch as my younger sister was ripped limb from limb in front of me.”

 

Your blood ran cold.

 

“Chanyeol was hunting the rogue group of vampires who had been murdering the village. He came too late.” You flinched as Baekhyun’s fist collided with the nearest tree trunk, causing the bark to shatter around his hand. “But not late enough to save  _my_ life.”

 

Your throat began to harden and close up, making it hard for you to breathe. Being a seraph, you could easily read the emotions of those around you. You had grown accustomed to drowning out the empathetic white noise. Baekhyun’s, however, felt like an icy blade to the heart.

 

“Why couldn’t  _I_ have been the one to die first?” Baekhyun snarled, a growl rumbling from low in his chest. “She was  _eight_ , goddamnit!”

 

There were several moments of silence, in which the only noise to break through the veil was the  _wisp_ and  _cackle_ of the midnight breeze as it weaved through the trees.

 

Neither of you spoke for what seemed like an eternity.

 

Slowly, you crept forward, extending your hand out to his shoulder. Baekhyun flinched as your palm ghosted across his back.

 

“I think you’ll understand, then.” Baekhyun murmured, almost inaudible. “The bastards that killed my sister were Kris’s men.”

 

Your fingers tightened around the edge of his leather jacket.

 

The stagnated silence returned, and the wind began to pick up, sending shivers across your bare legs.

 

“I’ll make that son of a bitch pay for what he’s done.” Baekhyun growled, causing the air around him to vibrate.

 

The two of you continued to walk uphill, neither of you speaking a word as the dead vegetation crackled under your feet. Soon enough, the ground leveled out, and you saw several faint, yellow sources of light in the distance through the trees.

 

Baekhyun halted dead in his tracks and quickly extended his arm outwards, signalling for you to stop moving. You froze, your heart rate beginning to pick up.

 

“We’re here.” Baekhyun muttered. “They’re using an old fort the villagers used to inhabit for hunting purposes.” He turned to you, eyeing you up and down and taking in a deep breath. “You ready?”

 

“Not in the slightest,” You inhaled shakily. “But if it means getting Chanyeol out of there…”

 

“Just remember the plan.” Baekhyun sent you a soft smile. He quickly reached from the back of his jacket, pulling from it a knife. The blade glistened in the moonlight as he extended it to you. “You’ll be needing this, then.”

 

It was Chanyeol’s dagger.

 

You took the blade into your hands warily, the unexpected heaviness of it forcing your wrists to adjust.

 

Tightly wrapping your fingers around the handle of the knife, you nodded, giving Baekhyun the signal that you were ready.

 

Before you had time to properly prepare yourself, Baekhyun snaked his hand around your waist, pulling you close to his body until you were pressed up against him. You sucked in a breath as he positioned himself behind you, keeping a firm hand secured around your abdomen.

 

“Start walking.” You felt his warm breath on your ear, sending shivers down your spine.

 

You took a shaky step forward.

 

Then another one.

 

And another one.

 

Soon, the large wooden barn came into view.

 

Hearing a twig snap in the distance, you quickly brought Chanyeol’s dagger up to your own throat.

 

“Don’t come any closer!” You warned, doing your best to keep your voice stable. “Unless you want your seraph dead.”

 

There was a drawn out pause, from which the only sound that could be heard was the inconsistent chorus of crickets.

 

In a flash, a shadowy figure appeared just a few feet before you. Their head tilted to the side, their hands relaxed at their side, prepared at a moment’s notice to be the bringer of death.

 

“You come  _alone_.” The figure’s low, masculine voice rumbled through the still forest.

 

“No. He comes.” You remained firm, pressing the tip of your blade to the tender skin of your neck just hard enough to draw blood. “Or else you lose it for good.”

 

In an instant the figure’s eyes flashed red before backing away substantially.

 

“Come with me, then.” The figure stepped out into the faded light that the barn provided. He was covered in tattoos and loose black clothing.

 

Taking small, hesitant steps forward, you felt Baekhyun hug you from behind tighter. Despite walking into the lion’s den, you felt significantly more at ease with Baekhyun close to you; his mere presence enabling you to move forward with confidence. The enemy vampire turned coldly, walking towards the barn doors with the silent expectation that you follow. Keeping the blade pressed tightly against your neck, you trailed behind the man clad in black, Baekhyun still sticking as close to you as possible.

 

Once inside the lower level of the barn, you were quickly led up a rickety set of stairs to the upper loft.

 

The door was opened, and immediately you winced as the intense, bright light from inside caught you off guard. Once your vision readjusted, you quickly found yourself surrounded by the enemy. Vampires of every shape and size, covered in tattoos and black clothes, lining the walls of the expansive upper level. There were another set of stairs that led to an upper deck, from which another legion of vampires stood, their red eyes glinting in anticipation of your arrival.

 

Your gaze slowly travelled back to the center of the room.

 

You gasped in shock instantly.

 

“Chanyeol…” You whined in a small voice.

 

There he was, stripped of his jacket and arsenal, left bloodied and beaten in nothing but his white dress shirt and soiled black pants. His head lifted slowly, and your heart twisted with pain as you took in the sight of his bruised face, a nasty gash sweltering across his forehead. His hands were bound behind his back, causing him to look utterly defeated.

 

As soon as his eyes met yours, a new sense of urgency surged through him, his eyes widening. “(y/n)-”

 

His plea was cut off as a boot came hammering down upon his head. Your wavering gaze shifted to the left, where it saw Kris leering over his fallen nemesis, smirking at the pain he had just inflicted.

 

Kris turned to you with an enormous grin. “And here I thought you wouldn’t show,  _little birdy_.”

 

You clenched your teeth as you felt your stomach sicken.

 

“Alright Baekhyun,” You muttered inconspicuously. “I’ve followed the plan.”

 

To your utter horror, however, Baekhyun began to chuckle behind you. His chuckle grew into a low, deep laugh, and you looked over your shoulder to see a smirk on his face.

 

_No… Oh, no._

 

“Baekhyun..?”

 

In the blink of an eye, you felt an intense pain at your wrist as it was bent at an unnatural angle, forcing you to drop your knife. It clanked to the floor near your feet, and you staggered backwards into Baekhyun’s grasp as he gripped both of your wrists, crossing them in front of your chest and keeping them firmly in place, despite your violent struggles.

 

You cried out in pain. “Baekhyun! What’re you-”

 

“You did well, Angel-cakes.” Your blood boiled at the nickname.  _Chanyeol_ was the only one to call you that without making you uncomfortable. When Baekhyun said it, it merely sent chills down the nape of your neck. “You followed the plan. Well,  _my_ plan, at least.”

 

Your features curved into a snarl. “You said you were doing this to avenge your sister.”

 

“Oh my  _god_ ,” Baekhyun’s head fell back in disbelief. “You actually  _believed_ all of that emotional garbage? Oh that’s rich.”

 

Blood pulsed through your ears quickly, making your head throb as your mind spun in confusion.

 

He had manipulated you.

 

And it made you  _sick_.

 

“So,” You gritted your teeth. “All of it was a  _lie_?”

 

“Caught you hook, line, and sinker, baby-cakes.” Baekhyun mused emphatically.

 

You heard loud, slow claps from the other side of the barn. Turning your head, you saw Kris with a signature twisted grin on his face.

 

“Well done, Baekhyun,” Kris crossed his arms in contentment. “I must say, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

 

“Kyungsoo wasn’t the spy.” You spat vehemently, “You were.”

 

“Ding ding ding,” Baekhyun cheered in a sing-song voice, “Give the girl a prize.”

 

“You’re  _disgusting_.”

 

“Oh  _please_ ,” Baekhyun tightened his grip on your wrists, keeping you pressed up against his chest, immobile. “You’re the one who was gullible enough to fall for the ‘dead family’ spiel.” Baekhyun leaned back, mocking you in a feminine voice. “‘Oh,  _please_ understand my pain, they  _killed_ my  _sister_.’”

 

You felt a burning anger being to grow in the pit of your stomach. Yet he didn’t stop there.

 

“‘He saved my  _life_ , I’m  _so_ indebted to him.’” Baekhyun ended his sneer with a short laugh. “How pathetic.”

 

“That’s enough.” Kris silenced him before turning his attention to you, “It’s time we got this show on the road, boys!”

 

There were resounding cheers and hollering that followed Kris’s words. Hollering that chilled you to the bone. Kris motioned for Baekhyun to move you closer to him, to which he obeyed and began to push you towards the back center of the room, where Chanyeol laid at Kris’s feet. Once you were a few meters away, Kris took a handful of Chanyeol’s hair into his grasp, forcefully yanking him to his knees. Chanyeol coughed, spurting a thin pool of blood from his lips.

 

“I want it known, seraph,” Kris turned his head to glare at you venomously in the eye. “That because of  _you_ , this haughty, traitorous leader will finally face the execution he deserves.”

 

Your eyes widened as you looked at Chanyeol in fear. His eyes were half-lidded, and you saw the color completely drained from his skin; an indication that he had not fed recently enough to heal his wounds. At this stage, he looked too weak to fight back.

 

“I also want it known, that because of  _him_ -” Kris’s twisted grin widened. “You’re going to watch.”

 

This ignited the spark in the depths of your burning rage, as you thrashed violently against Baekhyun’s grasp. You screamed and kicked and struggled against his hold as desperately as you could. Yet, at the sight of Kris pulling from behind him a glistening, black dagger, your movements froze.

 

“No…” You breathed out. “No, no, no no no no  _no_!”

 

You fought Baekhyun’s grip on you like a wild animal.

 

“Please!” You begged, hot tears now threatening to stream from your eyes. “You have me! You have what you want! Leave him alone!”

 

Your screams were in vain, as Kris took the hilt of the knife between both hands, positioning himself behind Chanyeol.

 

“Chanyeol! No!” You screamed, your voice becoming cracked and broken. “Please! Don’t do this!”

 

Cognisant of your pleas, Chanyeol lifted his head upright, his swollen eyes now connecting with yours.

 

Kris raised the knife high above Chanyeol’s head, it’s trajectory now directed towards his heart.

 

The world seemed to go silent around you as Chanyeol sent you a soft smile.

 

“(y/n),” He muttered. “I love you.”

 

The knife came down at full force.

 

The world moved in slow motion around you, your vision turning monochrome as color drained from your vision.

 

Before you could release the scream that felt locked inside of you, a deafening noise rang out across the room. Your eyes shut tightly as a reflex, your muscles contracting. Your ears rang for what felt like an eternity before you had the strength to open your eyes.

 

When you did, however, you were not expecting to see the scene unfolding in front of you.

 

Kris was hunched over, one hand clutching the other as a steady stream of blood flowed from an open wound.

 

The knife was on the ground, heavy, cold, and dangerous.

 

Yet most importantly-

 

Chanyeol remained unscathed.

 

_The noise… The blood… That could only mean-_

 

Fighting Baekhyun’s grip, you whipped your head around to the upper deck that lay just above the door you came through.

 

There, on the balcony, with a long-barreled sniper rifle, was the sole reason Chanyeol was still alive.

 

It was  _Kyungsoo_.

 

You felt as though your heart would burst with relief. But the fight wasn’t over yet. Panicked murmurs filled the air as Kris’s men stood there in shock.

 

Kris straightened himself, still clutching his bloodied hand. “Don’t just stand there!  _Kill him_!”

 

But just as the command left his lips, the wooden door burst open, revealing the rest of the Hunters. And they looked  _pissed_.

 

In a matter of seconds, all hell had broken loose.

 

Although severely outnumbered, each of Chanyeol’s elite Hunters easily maneuvered their opponents’ attacks, making quick work of their prey by snapping their necks, stabbing them with their assigned weapon of choice, or brutally ripping their hearts out.

 

A weak smile made its way onto your face; even Yixing was there, wielding his handguns and taking out his enemies from a distance.

 

Your relief was short-lived, however, as Baekhyun began to drag you away from the chaos. You looked over your shoulder to see a small back door; his means for escape. You thrashed violently as you saw the rest of Chanyeol’s men being too preoccupied to save you. You bit down on your lip, hard. Closing your eyes, you did your best to recreate the scene from memory.

 

> _Chanyeol moved behind you, wrapping both of his arms across your torso and effectively pinning your arms in an X shape against your chest._
> 
> _“This is the position most attackers will go for first. It’s easy, efficient, and allows for them to continue the attack in any way they see fit.”_
> 
> _“Now, when I have my arms around you, I want you to turn your palms outwards.” Chanyeol demonstrated, crossing his arms and turning his hands to face you. “Then, I want you to pivot your hip, and shift your weight so that you are leaning forward.” Another demonstration. “And finally, bring your leg forward, then kick it back, targetting my knee. Do you understand?”_

 

You took in a deep breath, calming yourself.

 

_Wrists. Weight. Kick._

 

You balled your hands into fists against Baekhyun’s tight hold.

 

_Wrists. Weight. Kick._

 

Taking one final breath in, you opened your eyes.

 

_Wrists. Weight. Kick._

 

Before you had the element of surprise taken away from you, you twisted your wrists so that your palms faced forwards. As Baekhyun’s movements froze in confusion, you bent your hips to the side, forcing your body weight backwards while simultaneously pushing your hands forward, breaking free. While he was still in shock, you kicked your left leg out, making sharp contact with Baekhyun’s knee, effectively causing his legs to buckle and collapse.

 

“You bitch.” Baekhyun hissed. While you did your best to gain distance from him, you quickly found yourself cornered at the back of the room. You whipped around to face him, his smirk devilishly evil. “I oughta teach you-”

 

Before Baekhyun could lunge for you, another man dropped from the rafters just above you, landing on top of Baekhyun and pinning him to the ground.

 

“You sick son of a bitch!” Jongdae hissed, beginning to punch Baekhyun repeatedly in the face. “I treated you like my own brother!”

 

A forceful punch landed.

 

“I trusted you!”

 

Jongdae hit Baekhyun again.

 

“We  _all_ trusted you!”

 

Another punch.

 

“Jongdae!” You heard Kyungsoo’s familiar, commanding voice as he approached. “We need him alive.”

 

Spitting on his face, Jongdae stood up from straddling Baekhyun, kicking him in the ribs for good measure.

 

Kyungsoo turned to you. “Are you alright?”

 

You could only nod.

 

“Good.” Despite remaining stoic, you noticed that Kyungsoo’s strength was wearing thin, a small trail of blood trickling down the side of his face. “Listen, we need to get you-”

 

You saw several enemy vampires approach Kyungsoo from behind. “Behind you!”

 

In a flash, Kyungsoo was tackle to the ground. Jongdae lept into action, throwing one of the vampires off of him and effectively snapping another one’s neck. The two of them engaged the third in combat, leading them across the deck, and away from you. Your mind was reeling at the bloody, violent pandemonium that was taking place.

 

_But where was Chanyeol?_

 

With Baekhyun unconscious on the ground, you decided to make a break for the back exit. Dodging bodies that littered the floor, you bolted for the back door, you were nearly tackled by one of Kris’s underlings. The one you recognized as Luhan, however, quickly intervened, snatching the vampire from mid-air and slamming him into the back wall. You released a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding and continued to run.

 

You were  _almost there_.

 

Just as you made it to the door, your hands gripped the doorknob. The minute you pulled to open it, however, a hand came crashing down upon it, rendering your efforts useless. You spun around in shock and gasped as you came face to face with the monster that stalked your nightmares.

 

Kris.

 

“You think you can run away,  _little birdy_?” You yelped as he gripped a handful of your hair, yanking you upwards roughly to meet him at eye level. “You won’t be escaping from me again.”

 

However, as he went to open the door to escape, an angered roar silenced the entire room.

 

“Hey!”

 

Kris turned, moving from your view.

 

It was Chanyeol.

 

You watched from afar as he whistled. In response to this, Kyungsoo reached behind himself and retrieved Chanyeol’s crossbow. With a hefty thrust, he tossed it to Chanyeol, who was quick to load it and aim it straight for Kris’s chest.

 

Kris immediately released his grip on your hair, causing you to crumple to the ground.

 

“Haven’t we been here before,  _old friend_?” Kris snickered, extending his hands at his sides. “Or would you rather me remind you of your  _place_?!”

 

With a sneer, Kris began to stalk towards Chanyeol. He grew continuously closer, yet Chanyeol refused to fire.

 

“After all these years,” Kris’s voice darkened, “You still can’t find it in yourself to kill me.”

 

He was face to face with Chanyeol now. Even from this distance, you could see Chanyeol’s arms shaking. Whatever was coming between him and the desire to shoot Kris through the heart, he was fighting it with every fiber of his being.

 

Kris took a menacing step forward and ripped the crossbow from his hands, throwing the bulky weapon across the room and far out of Chanyeol’s reach.

 

 _No!_  You began to panic.  _Not again…_

 

You scanned the surrounding area frantically. All other allies were now engaged in lethal combat of their own. The number of aggressors amassed into a seemingly endless swarm. Pools of assailants continued to enter from doors and windows, and soon the realization hit you.

 

The Hunters were quickly becoming overrun.

 

You were losing the battle.

 

In the blink of an eye, Kris had Chanyeol’s throat between his fingers, lifting him several inches off the ground.

 

“Such a pity,” Kris sneered. “So much rage. So much  _hatred_. All gone to waste on someone who can’t enact it.”

 

Chanyeol growled, furiously grappling at Kris’s hands to free himself.

 

“After all this time, still met with the inability to kill your maker.” Your eyes widened in fear as Kris pulled the vicious-looking black dagger from its holster on the back of his belt. “Too bad for you, it doesn’t work both ways.”

 

Your eyes flew to all corners of the room, desperately searching for anyone or anything that could end the fight.

 

Nothing. There was nothing. You had to do something,  _anything_ to intervene.

 

Shivers traversed your body as your gaze locked onto the battered weapon at the wall across from you.

 

Chanyeol’s crossbow.

 

“You’re too much of a coward,” Chanyeol hissed through gritted teeth. “You can’t do it.”

 

“I’ve killed many of the ones I’ve turned.” Kris mused back. “You aren’t the first, Chanyeol, and most certainly won’t be the last.”

 

You had to do something.  _Now_. You were tired of being helpless. Tired of watching others suffer around you. Fixing your gaze on the weapon, you realized there was no time left for hesitation.

 

Kris extended the dagger behind his head, the tip aimed directly for Chanyeol’s chest.

 

Your feet carried you across the rusty wooden floors as fast as they could, all noise except your desperate, heavy breathing being drowned out in the distance.

 

“I’ve waited too long for this, old friend.”

 

“Hey!”

 

Kris’s head whipped around at your unexpected outburst. His eyes widened at the sight of your frail body wielding the bulk of Chanyeol’s crossbow.

 

Before giving it a moment’s hesitation, you pulled the trigger.

 

The immediate kickback pushed you backwards, your back slamming against the wall with a prominent  _thud_.

 

Recovering your senses quickly, you looked up to see Kris, still holding Chanyeol up with one hand.

 

Your target had landed, however, as the thin black arrow was now lodged within his chest.

 

Kris staggered backwards, fighting the reality of the situation for as long as he could before losing the strength he needed to grip Chanyeol by the throat. Subsequently, Chanyeol’s body crumpled to the floor, barely moving as he dragged himself to his hands and knees.

 

Your heart lept into your throat as you realized what you’d done.

 

You didn’t mean to aim for his heart.

 

But… You had to do  _something_.

 

Kris looked down to stare at the arrow protruding from his chest, a pool of blood quickly expanding from the epicenter. Still struggling to stand upright, he gripped the shaft of the arrow, grimacing as his fingers tightened around it. Releasing a guttural roar that crescendoed, you watched in horror as Kris began to  _pull_ the arrow from his chest.

 

Finishing the job, he dropped it at his feet.

 

“That’s the last time you fuck with  _me_ , bitch!” Kris hissed, his eyes glowing a violent shade of red. He was picking up speed, heading towards you with the intent to kill.  _Fast_.

 

You didn’t have time to utter so much as a scream before he was on you, throwing you to the floor with enough force to fracture bone. He was leering over you now. Seeing the loathsome, predatory glint in his eyes, you desperately began to scoot backwards. Your hands and heels flailed to create a distance between the two of you that was simply unattainable. Your heart was pounding as adrenaline coursed through your system, pushing you further across the wood floors.

 

Soon enough, however, you felt a wall press up against your back, signalling your inevitable failure.

 

“There’s nowhere left to run, _little birdy_.” Kris lowered himself to hover over you, pinning you against the corner. His bared his fangs as he leaned in, his face mere inches away from yours. “None of the Hunters are left to save you now.”

 

Kris extended his jaw, the full length of his canines coming in to view. You winced, shutting your eyes tightly in preparation for his fangs to plunge into the side of your neck.

 

But as he lunged, the pain never came.

 

Your eyes flew open, and you immediately gasped in shock.

 

With one arm around Kris’s throat, and the other securely holding the arrow from before in place through his heart, Chanyeol’s irises glowed a violent shade of amber.

 

His eyes narrowed into slits. “She still has me, you  _bastard_.”

 

Kris clawed feebly at Chanyeol’s hand that kept the arrow jammed in place. You watched, heart hammering in your chest, as the life slowly began to ebb from Kris’s eyes. His skin grew pale, the veins in his system turning a grave shade of purple. Several seconds of silence followed before Kris’s movements stilled entirely. His pupils glazed over. His head limply falling backwards against Chanyeol’s shoulders.

 

It was over.

 

Chanyeol pushed Kris’s body aside, letting it slump lifelessly to the floor. He was panting heavily, blood covering his hands and soaking nearly every inch of his white shirt. You kept your knees pressed tightly to your chest as your eyes connected with his.

 

Neither of you spoke for what felt like an eternity, an unspoken concern passing between the two of you as you gazed into each other’s eyes.

 

Pained shrieks shattered the trance-like state, however, ripping your gaze from Chanyeol’s and directing it behind him.

 

Kris’s henchmen,  _all of them_ , dropping to the ground like puppets cut from their master’s strings. Wailing in agony, each and every enemy vampire crumpled to the floor, clutching their chests and enduring a seizure-like episode.

 

Each of the hunters spun in circles, catching their breaths as their opponents withered away at their feet.

 

“They’re- they’re dying…” You croaked, your voice weak.

 

It hit you like a freight train.

 

_That means-_

 

Your eyes flew to reconnect with Chanyeol’s.

 

They were already hazing over, his balance wavering.

 

“No… no, no, no, no,  _no_ -” Your senses began to numb and freeze over as you watched the color slowly start to drain from Chanyeol’s skin.

 

You straightened yourself immediately as Chanyeol’s eyes became lidded, rolling back. He began to sway as his consciousness began to leave him. As he fell backwards, you lunged forward to break his fall.

 

“Chanyeol!” Your voice cracked as you shrieked, your throat closing to the point that breathing became painful. “No… No, no, no, no, you’re going to be fine.” You cradled his face in your hands, resting his shoulders on your lap. “You’re going to be fine, alright? Just stay with me-”

 

His veins had already begun to darken. The consequence of the bond already taking it’s toll on his body.

 

Your hands frantically searched his body, checking for any form of puncture or wound that could be healed to prevent the spread of the curse. “No… No, there has to be a way… There has to be  _something_ -”

 

Your words were cut short as Chanyeol placed his hands on your own; a silent signal for you to stop.

 

“It’s already too late,” Chanyeol sent you a soft smile, “There’s nothing more you can do.”

 

“No- I refuse to believe that. After all that you’ve done, don’t you dare give up on me that easily.” Hot tears had already begun to stain your soiled cheeks.

 

“ _Shhhh_ ,” Chanyeol lifted a feeble hand to your face, delicately wiping the tears from your eyes with his thumb. “It’s nothing more than the rightful consequence of my actions.”

 

“How could you be so stupid, so  _careless_ like that?” Your voice was frail, a hard lump forming in the back your throat.

 

“Careless?” With great effort, he let out a short laugh. “If I relived that moment a thousand times, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

 

“Why…” You trailed off. “Why would you kill him when you knew you would die as well?”

 

“I’ve been a monster for as long as I can remember.” Chanyeol’s hand remained extended as he cupped your face. “Finally, after all these years, I’ve found something to protect.”

 

You couldn’t wrap your head around his words, yet they echoed in your mind. Tears welled up again, glossing over your vision.

 

“Hey, hey,” Despite his skin growing paler by the second, he managed to strengthen his smile. “You can go home now, after all this time. You’re finally free.”

 

You should’ve been relieved at his words. Your heart should have swelled with joy at the thought of your original captor releasing you.

 

And yet, all you felt in your heart was dread.

 

Chanyeol’s eyes began to grow cloudy, his breathing becoming raspy and irregular.

 

“No, Chanyeol, you can’t leave me. Not yet.” You pleaded softly. “I was… I know I… I’m not-”

 

“It’s alright,” Chanyeol croaked, his breathing becoming shallow. “I never needed you to reciprocate anything I felt. Finding out I had fallen for you set me on a different course. One that gave me hope for redemption.”

 

You choked on your own silent tears. “Chanyeol-”

 

“Angel-cakes…” He trailed off, growing still, “I…”

 

His sentence remained forever unfinished. His hand fell limply to his side.

 

Releasing the rest of the tears you had been holding back, you erupted into uncontrollable sobs, leaning over his lifeless body.

 

_No… It’s not over._

 

Taking a deep breath, you hovered over Chanyeol’s face, brushing the dirtied, crimson locks from his closed eyes.

 

You knew the rules.

 

You knew the consequences.

 

You had accepted them.

 

But staring down at Chanyeol’s cold, motionless frame, you realized…

 

You didn’t care.

 

“Sarielle.” You smiled softly at Chanyeol’s ghosted face, rubbing his cheek tenderly with your thumb. “My heavenly name…”

 

You paused, bending down to lay a kiss upon his forehead.

 

“It’s Sarielle.”

 

Almost instantaneously, the ground below you began to glow. Dim at first, a white aura began to orbit where you and Chanyeol stood, growing brighter with every passing second. You closed your eyes, pressing your forehead against Chanyeol’s as you felt the heavenly light surround you. Willing the connection into existence, you felt your body begin to weaken as you centered your focus to seal the bond. Searing pain shot through the base of your skull, yet your voice was stolen from you, a silent cry rippling through your system. Electricity shot through every nerve in your body like a highwire, your mind reeling at the sudden intensity. The white light seemed to engulf the two of you, becoming so bright that your eyes began to burn.

 

And then, as suddenly as it had happened, it was gone.

 

The light vanished. The pain left a dizzying numbness in its wake. Sitting on your knees, you swayed back and forth slightly, your balance askew. Your eyelids felt as though they were made of cinderblock and sandpaper. With tremendous effort, you lifted them, your vision hazing in and out of focus as it struggled to adjust.

 

Quickly, you looked down where Chanyeol lay.

 

He was propped up on his elbows before you. The color had returned in full to his features, the amber glow of his eyes renewed. He sat up immediately, his lungs heaving for air as his focus flew around the room, wide-eyed and in shock. After a few short moments, his frenzied gaze met yours in utter confusion.

 

“What the- what just-” He paused, still panting for breath as life returned to him. “What did you  _do_?”

 

You looked down at your open palms, the weight of your decision beginning to sink in.

 

You jerked your head up, your eyes now full of fear as they met with Chanyeol’s.

 

“I-” You swallowed, your throat painfully dry as you searched for words. “Chanyeol-”

 

**“I’m your guardian, now.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, here it is guys ^^ I poured everything I had into this, and posted it as soon as I finished, so I apologize for the plethora of typos that it’s no doubt littered with. The series isn’t over yet, as there are still several questions to be answered!! 
> 
> A special thanks to all my avid DA readers for being patient, supportive, and continuously gracious with the series. I’ll do my best not to disappoint!
> 
> As always, feel free to let me know how this chapter made you feel!! Literally anything in my inbox brightens my day~
> 
> ~Nunchi <333


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: language, interrogation, panic/anxiety

“My- my  _what_?” Chanyeol’s eyes widened as he sat up. He looked down to see your hands were trembling in your lap, and took them within his own.

 

You didn’t dare look him in the eye. You couldn’t find the words to respond, being too overwhelmed in the heat of the situation you put yourself in. You searched and searched for something,  _anything_ you could offer up as an explanation to Chanyeol.

 

To the man you just brought back from the dead.

 

_I’ve sealed my fate now. This was not meant to be. I could face consequences- You swallowed, your mind racing. No. I didn’t have another option. This was my choice. I couldn’t let him die._

 

As Chanyeol studied your face intently, tears began to well up in your eyes.

 

_How can I return home, now? That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, to get away from this place, to get away from these people. How can I-_

 

“Hey,” Chanyeol cooed, squeezing your hands with enough force for you to meet his gaze, but not enough to spur discomfort. “It’s alright, I promise everything’s alright now.” He reached one hand up to cup your cheek gently. “Let’s get you back to the base, to see if Yixing can’t clean you up a little. Does that sound alright?”

 

You bit your lip, nodding.

 

As Chanyeol began to stand, Kyungsoo stepped forward, the stoic expression on his face betrayed by the twitch of his brow.

 

Concern became evident in his voice as he spoke. “Are you alright, sir? Do you need assistance?”

 

“On the contrary,” Chanyeol stood to his full height, dusting off his soiled black pants and stained white dress shirt. “It’s been quite a while since I’ve felt this way.”

 

Turning to you, still a trembling heap on the cold floor, Chanyeol wrapped his arms around your shoulders. After helping you to your feet, you quickly noticed how bare and vulnerable you felt. The white gown you had worn for so long had now torn and ripped in several places, hiking further up your legs than you were comfortable with. Ten pairs of red, glowing eyes were all set on you. You pressed your knees together, leaning into Chanyeol’s embrace.

 

Realization of your discomfort seemed to dawn on him quickly. He motioned quickly to Junmyeon, and nearly a second later, his long, black duster was being tossed to him. In one swift movement, Chanyeol swung the coat around you, sealing inside not only warmth, but his scent as well. Your cheeks began to heat in embarrassment, a stark contrast to your freezing nose.

 

Chanyeol placed one of your arms around his shoulder, snaking one of his own around your waist for support. Once you were steadied in his hold, he faced his men.

 

“Let’s make our way back home, boys.”

 

After a curt nod from the rest of the Hunters, everyone began to make their way to the door. Yixing led the way, followed closely by Jongdae, who kept an incarcerated Baekhyun at his side. Chanyeol brought up the rear, careful to help you down the stairs of the barn loft, slowly walking step by step as your bruised legs worked hard to follow in sequence. Once outside, the harsh midnight air ripped across the exposed skin of your legs. You pulled Chanyeol’s coat close to you using your free hand.

 

Chanyeol readjusted your weight, allowing you to lean into him and take pressure off of your feet. “It shouldn’t take long to make it to the bottom of the mountain.”

 

“Chanyeol- I mean, sir- I mean-” You didn’t see Kyungsoo, but in a flash he was at Chanyeol’s side. His calm facade was betrayed by his abnormal stuttering. “About Eva…” His eyes spun back and forth, as though searching for the appropriate words. “She… She’s still-”

 

“Go.” Chanyeol interjected.

 

Their eyes connected for a brief moment, a silent understanding passing between them.

 

The moment didn’t last long, however, and in the time it took to blink, Kyungsoo was gone.

 

“Now then,” Chanyeol kept his gaze ahead of him towards the descent of the mountainside as he smiled. “Let’s get you back to the med ward, and in Yixing’s tender love and care, shall we?”

 

As he stepped forward past the treeline, you followed. However, pain shot up your legs nearly instantaneously, and you recoiled.

 

Chanyeol froze, gazing down at your feet. The skin was dry and cracked, swollen with bruises and blisters.

 

“Your feet…” Chanyeol whispered to himself, trailing off.

 

“I’m- I’m sorry.” You offered, “I’m used to being barefoot, but-”

 

Before you could finish your words, you no longer felt the prickly forest floor below you. Instead, you were swiftly swooped up into Chanyeol’s arms. Despite not being particularly light, his hold on you was unwavering and firm. The warmth of his coat enveloped you, allowing your muscles to relax for the first time in a while.

 

Chanyeol remained silent. His face was set and unreadable, his gaze fixed ahead of him as be began to walk.

 

Although this wasn’t the first time Chanyeol had carried you like this, it was certainly more intimate. Your face heated, and you nuzzled yourself deep within the collar of his jacket to hide your embarrassment. If Chanyeol was amused, he didn’t show it. Instead, he remained quiet, focused solely on keeping you stable within his arms as he traversed down the mountainside.

 

You allowed yourself to relax this way. Aside from the occasional snap and crackle of the leaves and branches below you, the world was silent. Still. You could feel Chanyeol’s heart as it beat at a steady pace.

 

This is what you wanted.

 

The calm.

 

The quiet.

 

To feel  _safe_.

 

You felt as though, for the first time in a while, you had won.

 

Kris was dead.

 

Chanyeol was alive.

 

And now, you were his Guardian.

 

Your heart beat quickened at the thought. Mate bond or not, your life was now indefinitely tied to his. This time, however, it was of your own doing.

 

 _Why couldn’t I have just let him die?_ You bit the inside of your cheek.  _What was stopping me?_

 

As much as you wanted to blame the mate bond for your actions, you knew that choosing to assign yourself to Chanyeol wouldn’t have been so much as a possibility unless there was some amount of genuinity. The entire mess was confusing and contradicting and chaotic and you just wanted answers.

 

You wanted to be home.

 

But where was home, now?

 

By the time you returned to Seraphim, how could things ever be the same? Even if you sought justice against those that had cast you down to earth, how could you possibly re-assimilate to the way things used to be? You had spent so much time here, should you even be considered a seraph any more?

 

You didn’t have time to consult any of these questions, as Chanyeol halted near the entrance to the base.

 

_We’re here already?_

 

As the other members of the clan funnel in through the warehouse door, Chanyeol followed, ducking his head and twisting his body to fit you inside. You expected him to let you down once you made it through the door, yet he kept a tight hold on your cold, shivering frame. Everyone halted, looking to Chanyeol for orders.

 

His expression was firm. “Sehun, Xiumin, make sure the perimeter is secure. I don’t want any strays to have escaped, looking for a fight. Luhan and Junmyeon, continue seeing what you can fix from the rubble the fire caused; see if anything is salvageable. Kai, help Jongdae take Baekhyun to the brig. I’ll be there soon enough. Yixing-”

 

“I got it, I got it,” Yixing mused, already beginning to walk in the direction of the med ward. He muttered under his breath, “At the rate you keep injuring yourselves we’re gonna need a bigger med bay.”

 

Keeping everyone else’s attention, Chanyeol nodded briskly. “Dismissed.”

 

The party dispersed in varying directions, leaving you and Chanyeol to trail behind Yixing.

 

The walk to the med ward was quiet; suffocatingly so. As the seconds passed, your mind raced in search of words, of an explanation, of an answer. You came up blank, seeking hopelessly for something to tell Chanyeol when he would inevitably ask about what you’d done.

 

As the three of you entered the small, cramped medical office, Yixing rushed over to the stretcher, clearing it of stray supplies and papers to make room for you. As soon as he was finished, Chanyeol took a few steps forward, laying you delicately on its padded surface. When you were comfortably seated, Yixing rolled up his sleeves and began his work. He started off by taking your vitals. Pulse, heart rate, temperature, and reflexes were all examined in quick fashion. While you avoided looking at Chanyeol, still too worried about giving him an answer, his gaze was unwavering. You could feel it, even if you didn’t meet it, boring into you with a mixture of worry, curiosity, and anger. Not at you, you were almost positive, but most likely directed at the cause of your current condition. Kris. The vampires.  _Him_.

 

You concentrated on Yixing’s steady flow of basic medical inquiries and procedures to distract yourself. He prepped you for a shot, said to decrease the swelling in your bruises and aid the reconstruction of lost tissue, and injected the needle. He placed a band aid over the spot quickly before moving on to his next project. He filled a plastic tin with hot water from the sink, the steam forming clouds in the cool room. He placed the water at your feet, gently guiding them into it. The initial burn was prominent, but soon, you felt your cracks begin to soften and seal over, along with the disappearing soreness. Cuts and scrapes still littered the rest of your body, and Yixing rose to his feet to attend to this. He gathered enough antiseptic and gauze to clean each and every one of your inflictions. Your hands clenched the sides of the metal bunk as the familiar sting came and went in repetitive cycles across your skin.

 

You kept your gaze trained on the floor. Too soon, Yixing was finished.

 

He grabbed his clipboard from the counter, flipping a few pages to the back, beginning to read. “I’ve checked her vitals, and everything except her reflexes seem to be in moderate condition, though that is to be expected with the lack of rest and proper nutrition. The shot I gave her is enough to mend most of her internal injuries, but she’ll need to come back a few times for me to check the progress. With the salt bath, her feet should be patched up enough to walk in about a half hour, and-”

 

Yixing stopped talking, looking up from his notes.

 

“Chanyeol, are you even listening to me?”

 

While your eyes were centered on a loose screw in the corner of the room, Chanyeol’s was centered on you.

 

Yixing seemed to realize the tension that lay thick in the air. He flipped back through his pages and set the clipboard back on the counter.

 

“Right then,” He sighed, scratching the back of his head. “I’m sure I have… Something else to attend to. I’ll leave the two of you to… Sort things out.”

 

Taking a bin of dirtied wash cloths and towels with him, Yixing opened the hatch to the door. The sound of it closing behind him on the way out instinctively caused you to tense.

 

Neither you nor Chanyeol spoke for several moments, nor did you lift your eyes to meet his.

 

Eventually, the silence became too much for you to handle.

 

“I suppose you would like an explanation.” You croaked, your throat constricting due to anxiety.

 

“Only if you’re willing to tell it.” Chanyeol spoke, his voice deep with bass. “I’m worried about you.”

 

You tilted your head upwards towards the ceiling, trying to contain tears before they were conceived. “My past is a place I never thought I’d have to retrace.”

 

“No one is making you relive the past,” Chanyeol leaned forward. “There’s always another time. We can wait-”

 

“No.” You cut him off, your eyes snapping to meet his in earnest. “I need to say this. You… You deserve to know what I’ve done.”

 

Chanyeol shifted and moved to sit on the bunk next to you. He took your hand within your own, and you took it as your cue to begin when you felt ready.

 

You took a shaky breath in, releasing it before you started.

 

“We seraphim are not omnipotent beings.” You spoke softly, your gaze trained on your lap. “Only those given a directive from the council are sent to earth. Aside from them, we have no means to observe what happens below. In terms of seeing the future, we are fairly limited. Our oracles are able to get vague glimpses, like trying to remember a dream a few minutes after you have woken up.”

 

You looked up from your hands, sparing Chanyeol a quick glance.

 

“Unless a situation rises, only those given an Assignment are permitted to observe earth, serving as Guardians to the ones they are appointed to. The mythology of guardian angels arose due to this tradition. Guardians are to watch over, guide, protect, and record the data received from their Assignment; their human charge. Each seraph appointed as a Guardian is given an allotted time to serve; their Assignment’s lifespan. While they are permitted to visit earth, it is more of a…  _Transient_ experience. Our physical bodies are not present. Rather, we are like ghosts, or apparatuses, our auras traveling through the barrier that our physical forms cannot. One’s job as a Guardian is continual. As soon as the allotted time is over, a Guardian is immediately reassigned to a new charge, and the cycle continues ceaselessly.”

 

You swallowed, your gaze returning to your hands.

 

“I was…  _Once_ a Guardian.” Your lungs tightened. “I was… Deemed adequate for duty not long after I awoke. My Assignment was a little girl.  _Adelaide,_ or Ada, as I called her. Pure, innocent, a blessing to the dark world she was born into. After a branch snapped and she fell from a tree, I intervened, and things changed. Her near-death experience allowed her to see me, or rather, my ghost-like aura. We grew close after that…  _Too_ close. Because she could see what no one else could, I became her imaginary friend. She even gave me a nickname. (y/n).”

 

Chanyeol rubbed delicate circles on your palm using his thumb, encouraging you softly and silently as he listened.

 

“However,” You sucked in a deep breath. “Things started to drastically change. Her mother began to grow sick.  _Terminally_ sick. Little Ada began to ask questions I held no answer to. She begged me, pleaded with me to save her mother, but I was powerless. Guardian seraphim have the power to deter the flow of fate, but never redirect its course. Even if I could, I was Ada’s Guardian, not her mother’s. After I told her nothing could be done, she began to grow cold. Distant. She began to lose faith. Just a few weeks later, her mother died… Ada never spoke again.”

 

You felt your eyes begin to water at the oncoming memory. You sent a hand to wipe it away before it could fall.

 

“One day, Ada walked to a cliff on the outskirts of town.” More tears began to form at the corners of your eyes, and you struggled to keep them at bay. “I used every fiber of my essence to try and pull her away from the edge. I tried- I fought with everything I had… But she didn’t believe in me anymore. She had disillusioned herself to the point where I had become powerless. I begged and begged and begged and I-” You choked on your own words, the memory becoming too vivid.

 

“Without saying a word, she lept.”

 

You struggled to suppress the sobs that threatened to escape, taking several moments to compose yourself. Chanyeol remained silent. You couldn’t bring yourself to look him in the eye.

 

“Ada, she- she had a  _life_ ahead of her, I saw it.” You shivered, remembering the light in the young girl’s eyes. “Rarely does the designated time of assignment not see itself to completion. I was one of the exceptions. I became cripplingly despondent after that. She was my first… I was never given an Assignment again.

 

“I was reassigned to transgressor detail, working with the people that located, detained, and on occasion, executed rogue seraphim. On the very first day, the fugitive I was tasked with questioning had escaped, sending the city into a state of chaos. While most officers searched in obvious places, I deduced where the culprit had been trying to escape to. The gate the allows physical passage between realms had opened for the first time in four hundred years. I caught him just as he was about to slip through, my weapon drawn. Before I could even blink he was on top of me, and before I knew it, he was dead. I had killed him.

 

“Catching a latent fugitive like that as a mere petty officer became big news, and since then, I climbed to the top ranks. I was honored as one of the most lucrative seraphim. However, not everyone had been pleased of my status. Four hundred years later, when the portal reopened…” You trailed off. “The rest, you know.”

 

Chanyeol’s hand tightened around your own, engulfing it with warmth.

 

“A few days before I was cast down, I actually had a dream.” You let out another long exhale. “A dream of being exiled to earth. Of being taken by terrans. Of death.”

 

You looked up to see Chanyeol’s expression, full of worry. You spoke before he could interject.

 

“That’s not what’s important, though.” You pressed your lips into a thin line. “A seraph who is a Guardian has the ability to protect their assignments. To guide them from harm.” 

 

You paused, swallowing. 

 

 

“To save their life.”

 

Chanyeol’s features remained tense and serious, yet you could see his eyes take in the words you had just spoken.

 

“The moment you died, I made a decision.” Your eyes were soft as they gazed into his own. “I was once a Guardian, and in that moment, I declared you my charge. Only then was I able to bring you back.”

 

There was a stagnated silence between the two of you. Both of you searched for something in each other’s eyes. What it was, you couldn’t be sure.

 

Slowly, Chanyeol spoke. “Then, that means I’m-”

 

“My Assignment.” You finished for him.

 

“And, that means I’m your charge until I…” Chanyeol swallowed, his gaze drifting downwards as the realization hit him. “Until I…”

 

“Until you die.”

 

The weight of your actions seemed to dawn on the both of you in that moment. The unwanted silence returned, causing the both of you to search for the right strand of words to say that would ease the tension.

“I want it made clear to you, (y/n).” Chanyeol’s voice was low as he shattered the quiet. “While I am eternally grateful that you saved my life, I have no expectations of you.”

 

Your face shifted in confusion.

 

Chanyeol clasped your hands tightly, leaning forwards. “Do not feel as though you are obligated to my existence. Although there are forces at work that I am unfamiliar with, I will no longer allow you to be forced into contracts that require any form of dutiful compliance. Guardians and Assignments be damned, I will not accept anything from you that is not of your own volition. Do you understand me?”

 

Your heart was hammering inside your chest as you nodded, slowly.

 

Seemingly satisfied with your acknowledgement, he backed away and rose to his feet. Without uttering a word, he placed one of your arms around his shoulders and lifted you into his arms once again.

 

“Ch-Chanyeol-” You fidgeted within his hold. “I can walk myself. Even Yixing said so.”

 

“I don’t care.” He muttered gruffly; stubbornly. “You’re still injured.”

 

Without leaving room to argue, Chanyeol turned from the stretcher and towards the door. Using his foot to push it open, he walked through, ducking as he did so. You forced yourself to accept his gesture as he carried you through the familiar maze of corridors that led to his room.

 

Once you were inside, Chanyeol strode over to the bed, where he deposited you tenderly on top of the sheets.

 

“You haven’t slept.” Chanyeol retorted briskly. “Sleep. You need rest.”

 

Without allowing you to respond, he walked to the foot of the bed, sitting at the corner. He placed his hands on his knees, facing away from you.

 

“Chanyeol, I can’t just-”

 

“Sleep.” He reasserted, leaving no room for argument. “I’ll stay here and… Make sure everything’s alright until you do.”

 

_He was making sure that everything was alright…_

 

That you felt  _safe_.

 

After a prolonged exhale, you situated yourself within the satin bedspread, sealing yourself within its soft comfort. You watched as Chanyeol remained perched at the end of the bed, taking a deep breath in and releasing it, tapping his fingers unrhythmically against his knees.

 

Maybe it was the intensity of the night that had befallen, or maybe it was something Yixing slipped into your medication, but before you knew it, your eyelids grew increasingly heavy. The sight of Chanyeol standing watch over you was the last thing you saw before the orange glow of the room was enveloped in darkness, leaving nothing but dormant space in its wake.

 

* * *

 

Chanyeol’s boots clicked against the concrete floors as he stalked down the corridor at a heated pace. His eyes narrowed as he began to fold the sleeves of his white dress shirt up his elbow. Once he had arrived just outside of his destination, he brought his fist up to the steel door, thudding impatiently. In a matter of seconds the door creaked into motion, parting just far enough for him to slip his lanky body through.

 

The room was small, dim, and wet. Thick pipes mazed through the ceiling, dripping cold water from their ducts and cause the air to thicken.

 

Chanyeol finished tidying his sleeves as he entered, massaging his wrist as he stared at the limp frame of man seated in the chair in front of him.

 

“Baekhyun.”

 

Chanyeol’s voice demanded compliance.

 

The vampire with tousled black hair lifted his head loosely, a smirk adorning his features.

 

“Well, well, well,” Baekhyun croaked, blood seeping from the corner of his lips. His face was blackened and bruised from the time spent under the supervision of Kai and Jongdae. “If it isn’t our benevolent  _leader_. Come to take a swipe, did we?”

 

“Don’t make this more painful than it needs to be, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol growled, his tone emotionless.

 

“I’m not afraid of dying,” Baekhyun spat.

 

“Coming from the man that sacrificed his entire clan for self-interest,” Chanyeol folded his arms against his chest, “I call that rather ironic.”

 

Baekhyun smiled, baring his teeth. “Personally, I see myself as an opportunist.”

 

“I don’t anyone here sees you as anything other than a traitorous bastard.” Chanyeol stepping forward, quickly grabbing one of Baekhyun’s restrained arms.

 

He pulled back the fabric of his sleeve, revealing a crestened tattoo. The mark of the Blacklight clan.

 

Chanyeol’s voice lowered threateningly. “To me, you’re nothing but Blacklight’s newest bitch.”

 

Baekhyun’s jaw clenched. He leaned back into the chair, remaining silent.

 

“So tell me,” Chanyeol stepped back, his tone still venomous. “How much did they offer you to sell out your own blood? Did you trade loyalties the moment I became head of the clan or did you wait a few days out of respect for your elders?”

 

“I joined the Blacklights freely,” Baekhyun grinned to himself. “They didn’t have to pay me anything.”

 

The a flash, Chanyeol lunged forward, striking Baekhyun across the face at full-force with a devastating punch. The deafening crack resounded around the tiny room for several seconds.

 

“That’s how you thank me for saving your life; for taking you into this clan?” Chanyeol’s voice crescendoed.

 

“You got soft.” Baekhyun hissed, coughing up a spat of blood. “The minute that seraph entered the equation, you grew far too weak to lead the rest of this clan.”

 

Jongdae and Kai, who were the only other members present in the room, bristled defensively. Jongdae stepped forward to attack, but Chanyeol pressed a hand against his chest; a non-negotiable signal that meant back down.

 

“It seemed as though I was the only one to realize this, seeing as everyone else blindly continued to follow you. It didn’t take long for me to understand what needed to be done.” Baekhyun’s breathing became ragged, his contemptuous smile never fading. “Kris was quick to hire a mole on the inside, and the Blacklights wanted the seraph for their little ‘experiments’. I simply worked all the angles.”

 

Chanyeol’s kept his tone firm, his eyes narrowing. “I take it by telling me this you feel no remorse for what you have done.”

 

Baekhyun lifted himself to sit upright in the seat. He tilted his head to the side, the grin on his face expanding.

 

“None whatsoever.”

 

Chanyeol straightened himself, his eyes glowing red. “Then I will feel no remorse for what I am about to do to you.”

 

As he nodded to Kai and Jongdae, turning over her shoulder and preparing to leave, Baekhyun scoffed.

 

“You won’t kill me.” He mused in a sing-song voice. “You’ve grown too soft.”

 

Chanyeol halted just beside the door. He tilted his head, his back to Baekhyun as he spoke.

 

“No,” He paused. “But I’ve always wondered how many stakes a vampire could sustain to their body before passing out from the pain.”

 

Chanyeol looked over his shoulder, his face cold as he deadpanned.

 

“Or the blood loss.”

 

Baekhyun’s expression faltered slightly.

 

“Looks like we’ll find out rather soon.”

 

Without another word, Chanyeol stepped through the door, sealing it, along with the torturous screams of the one inside, behind him.

 

* * *

 

 

You felt something warm on your face, causing you to stir. After opening your eyes, you noticed a single streak of sunlight, peeking past the barred window above the bed. You sat up, dazed and groggy at having let your body rest for several hours. Exactly how many, you did not know, yet the intensity of the sunlight that entered the room meant that dawn had broken.

 

Before your body had the chance to fully revitalize its working systems, the bedroom door groaned. You tensed instinctively, yet relaxed as soon as you saw Chanyeol’s familiar tuft of red hair. He shut the door behind him softly, not realizing you were awake until he approached the bed.

 

His eyes widened in mild surprise as they connected with yours. “You’re awake- though, I guess that is to be expected.”

 

“What…” You blinked several times, attempting to shake the sleepiness from your system. “What time of day is it?”

 

“You slept late,” He sat himself at the edge of the bed and smiled, sending you a quick wink. “It’s nearly dusk.”

 

You took in a deep breath and released it, running a hand through your soiled hair.

 

“The base is still under mass repair and reconstruction. Nearly all of the clan has taken up arms to get the base operational again. I’ve done what I can, and left the rest to my men.” Chanyeol sighed. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Better, as far as I can tell.” You massaged the back of your neck.

 

Chanyeol’s eyes drifted from your face to the side.

 

“Your wings…” He trailed off quietly. “Are they feeling any better?”

 

“I… Haven’t had the chance to stretch them recently.” You spoke softly, worried about the implications of Chanyeol’s question.

 

“Well then,” After giving himself a short half-smile, Chanyeol stood up. “If you’re up for it, there’s somewhere I’d like to take you.”

 

Your eyes lit up, a spark of hope within them.

 

“Outside?”

 

Chanyeol smiled gently, offering his arm to you.

 

“Outside.”

 

* * *

 

As Chanyeol approached the steel doors, one of the two guard that stood watch rushed up to meet him.

 

“Sir,” The guard was formal, “Will you be needing this?”

 

You peeked out from behind Chanyeol to see what the guard was extending to him.

 

_His crossbow._

 

At the sight of it, Chanyeol tensed. You could feel the discomfort and self conflict radiate off of him as he fidgeted slightly.

 

“No.” He spoke calmly. He looked down at you for a split second before returning his attention to the guard. “I won’t.”

 

Without another word, Chanyeol took hold of your wrist and walked up to the metal doors. Using his free hand to pull them open, he led you through.

 

Feeling the soothing warmth of the sunlight on your cold, dry skin was enough to ease your mind almost instantaneously. The moment Chanyeol had led you through the gate, you could feel your heart singing. The breeze was just enough to send shivers down your arms, awakening your senses to the sights and smells around you.

 

You tucked your arms behind you, trailing closely behind Chanyeol as he trodded through a familiar path that led past the treeline, into the wood. You realized the direction in where you were heading, but as to why, you could not be sure. Soon enough, the two of you had made it to the large clearing, an expansive, barren field now before you. Trees lined the familiar space, clouds now obscuring the sunlight and casting a shadow upon it.

 

_The training grounds._

 

“Chanyeol,” His back was turned to you unresponsively. “Why-”

 

Without letting you finish, he squeezed your hand softly before letting it go. He nodded in the direction of the open clearing.

 

“Go.” He smiled. “Stretch your wings.”

 

It all made sense now. His question. The fact that he rejected carrying any weapons with him.

 

He wanted to let you fly.

 

He trusted you.

 

Taking a short breath in, you started to walk towards the center of the clearing. You continued to hold your breath until you realized you were quite a distance away from Chanyeol. You looked over your shoulder to find him leaning against a tree. He sent you a soft smile, gesturing you onwards. You then turned your gaze to the sky. Gray, cold, and swollen with clouds. Taking a deep breath in, you closed your eyes.

 

You jostled your shoulders, shifting the weight of your wings.

 

Very carefully, as not to strain any of the strained tendons, you began to unfurl them. Inch by inch, you slowly expanded each of the joints until you felt the nostalgic pull against your shoulder blades, signalling that they had stretched as far as they could. You smiled to yourself, eyes still closed, relishing in the feeling of having stretched your wings for the first time in so long. Taking a half step back, your breath hitched. Slowing swinging the tips of your wings backwards and forwards, the nerves began to arise.

 

It had been so long…

 

Starting with the bottom of your feet, you focused on relaxing each of your muscles. Little by little, working your way up to your neck, you flexed, then relaxed, taking several deep breaths in and out. A familiar lullaby worked its way into your head as you began to prep yourself, reminding you of times long ago. Like a trained athlete, you steadied your breathing.

 

_Breathe in, lean forward._

_Breathe out, step back._

_Breathe in, lean forward._

_Breathe out, step back._

_Breathe in, lean forward-_

On the last exhale, you rebounded off of your heel, pushing forward with as much force as you could. After sprinting and gaining as much earthy momentum as possible, you contracted the muscles in your shoulders. With a hefty push, you no longer felt the ground at your feet.

 

You were airborne.

 

After the initial effort, the rest was like clockwork. You gained altitude, lifting yourself far above the treetops. Ascending in a circular pattern, you could feel the cool, crisp air fill your lungs. You felt it brush against your feathers, your toes, your fingertips. It felt as though you had finally been permitted to remember who you were, what you were.

 

It felt amazing.

 

You had nearly forgotten what it felt like, to be in the open sky. To have the earth far below you.

 

To be  _free_.

 

Pivoting on your left wing, you swiveled. Thunder rippled through the sky, echoing across the forest as you began your descent. Swiftly, you came down in a curved line. You tilted your wings upwards, allowing them to catch the wind as you landed a few feet away from where Chanyeol was standing.

 

He pushed himself off of the tree he was leaning against, making his way over to you. You were slightly out of breath by the time he approached. Another roll of thunder rumbled across the forest as the two of you stood there. Chanyeol looked at you fondly. Neither of you seemed to be able to speak.

 

You continued to pant breathlessly as his eyes told you he was searching for words.

 

“That was,” His features stilled. “That was beautiful.”

 

You let out a short laugh, both in surprise, awe, and embarrassment at Chanyeol’s words.

 

“You’re-”

 

A loud crash of thunder muffled the rest of what he had said. Before another word could be spoken, you felt water begin to prickle at your skin. Within the next few seconds, the heavens had opened up, releasing with it a steady stream of rain.

 

“What?” You called out, having to raise your voice a little to outspeak the weather.

 

With every passing second, the rain grew heavier and with increasing loudness.

 

Chanyeol shouted. “I said  _you’re beautiful_!”

 

The smile on his face refused to falter. Unable to think of a proper response, you stumbled over an incoherent garble of words.

 

Chanyeol let out a brief laugh, grinning as he wrapped his arms around your shoulders. “Let’s get back inside!”

 

Still at a loss for words, you could only nod. Keeping one arm around your shoulder and the other around your waist, Chanyeol guided you back through the trail. The rain was pouring down in sheets by the time the base came into view, and at the time the two of you made it to the front gate, you were thoroughly soaked.

 

It was, admittedly, much warmer inside the closed corridors. The heated tile and concrete soothed your feet, while the rest of your body felt frozen. Subconsciously, you leaned into Chanyeol’s embrace, instinctually seeking the warmth it provided. He rubbed his hands up and down your arms as the two of you made your way back to his room, leaving a trail of water in your wake.

 

Once the steel door groaned closed behind you, Chanyeol ushered you to the bed, depositing you there before scurrying into the bathroom. He quickly returned with a small towel, extending it to you.

 

“They managed to get most of the plumbing back in order,” He exhaled, scratching his head contemplatively. “I’m going to hop in the shower real quick to make sure everything’s working alright. When I’m done, you’re free to use it to warm yourself up a bit.”

 

You nodded slightly, keeping hesitant eye contact.

 

“Right,” He hummed. “I’ll be quick.”

 

Without waiting for your response, Chanyeol turned and entered the bathroom, closing the doors shut behind him.

 

As you heard the water begin to run, you fidgeted with the frayed ends of your dress.

 

_Would a quick shower really be okay?_

 

Although the inevitable wave of doubts pressed against your mind, you hardened your resolve. You refused to believe Chanyeol had any ulterior motives. He hadn’t given you any reason to be genuinely nervous, so you took in a bit of confidence and gave him the benefit of the doubt.

 

When Chanyeol said he’d be quick, he meant it. In less than five minutes the bathroom doors reopened, sending yellow light towards the bed where you sat. Your immediate reaction was to turn your attention to Chanyeol. At the sight of him clad in nothing but a towel fastened around his hips, however, you felt your face begin to heat. Snapping your head in the other direction, you averted your eyes.

 

You heard him scoff lightheartedly.

 

“The shower’s working just fine.” He walked to the other side of the bed, pulling a heap of clothes from the chest of drawers. “If you want to give it a try.”

 

Turning to face him, you did your best to conceal your embarrassment. With the tee shirt and sweatpants held in his hands, he nodded towards the bathroom. Biting the inside of your cheek, you followed him inside. The cool tile and abundant lighting allowed you to relax just slightly, though not serving as an adequate distraction from Chanyeol’s lack of clothing. He stopped in front of the shower stall, which was sealed in stone, and began to explain how each of the knobs and knosels worked.

 

After placing fresh towels on the counter and closing the door behind him, you were left alone.

 

Following Chanyeol’s directions, you turned each of the handles in order. Soon enough, a steady stream of piping hot water came flowing from the slightly rusted head at the top of the stall. You padded over to the counter, grabbing a clean towel, then back over to where the steam had accumulated. After quickly disrobing yourself, though there wasn’t much to take off, you hopped inside.

 

Almost instantly, you felt every ache and pain in your body ebb away. The hot water seemed to soothe and relax every strained muscle in your body, including your soiled wings. Using the bar of soap Chanyeol had resting on the small indent in the wall, you began to scrub away the dirt and filth that had accumulated on your skin over the past several days. Its lavender smell seemed to remind you of home. Before you knew it, you were humming along to the rhythm in your head, not belonging to any one song in particular. Singing softly, you continued to let the rush of hot water renew your spirit. The steam seemed to have healed relaxed your vocal cords, allowing you to revel in the feeling of having your throat soothed.

 

Not having any bearing on how much time had passed, it dawned on you that you should probably get out. After sealing the knosel until the water stopped, you did your best to wring out your hair and feathers. You stepped up on your tiptoes to reach the towel you had hung over the stall’s stone wall. The texture was soft as you wrapped it around yourself tightly, clasping the front for additional security. Stepping carefully as not to slip, you rounded the corner of the stall to exit.

 

You hadn’t expected to feel so rejuvenated after something as simple as this, yet it felt almost blissful.

 

Another thing you hadn’t expected, however, was for Chanyeol to be nonchalantly leaning against the far wall.

 

You nearly yelped in surprised, slipping backwards just a hair.

 

“Chanyeol!” It was impossible to hide the embarrassment in your face now. “You could’ve at least waited until I was changed!”

 

Chanyeol looked down and smiled at the ground. You felt relief that, at the very least, he was no longer shirtless. He had on a dark black shirt and grey sweatpants. It surprised you just how casual he looked, especially with his dark red hair falling loosely in wet strands over his forehead.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I forgot to leave something in here.” He then looked up from the ground to reconnect his eyes with yours. His smile deepened. “I didn’t know you could sing like that.”

 

“Yes… Well,” You were at a loss for how to respond. “I’m still in a towel, Chanyeol, so, if you would please-”

 

“Right right, I’m sorry.” He laughed softly and pushed himself off of the wall. “There’s something I forgot to hand you along with the towels.” He gestured towards the countertop, and your eyes followed. After giving a slight bow, he grabbed the door handle, opening it. “I’ll leave you to yourself, then.”

 

As soon as the doors shut behind him, you released a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding. You padded cautiously over to the sink to see what Chanyeol had delivered. Your eyes widened as you grew closer. A strange lump of folded cloth was wrapped in fine white ribbon. Upon gently untying it, you held it up, nearly gasping in awe.

 

It was a brand new gown.

 

The material was soft and thick, something that offered warmth as well as decent modesty. The light blue material faded in and out in a gradient pattern, and was easy on the eyes. Without waiting a moment longer you released your death grip on the towel and slipped the dress on. Looking in the mirror across the countertop, you smiled. The sleeves went just past your elbows, and skirt flowed as you twisted left and right. The fabric was lenient and soft, keeping a casual appearance, and you noticed the wide v-cut in the back, allowing your wings space to move freely.

 

After drying your hair the best you could, you walked up to the bathroom doors. Sucking a breath in for confidence, you opened them, stepping outside of the bathroom.

 

Chanyeol stood across the room, opposite to the door. As soon as you walked out, his head shot up, eyes meeting yours with suspense and excitement.

 

“Wow… (y/n).” He approached you with a soft smile on his lips, and to your surprise, you didn’t cower away. “I knew it would look stunning on you, but this….” He trailed off.

 

You looked down at the skirt, feeling the texture across your fingertips. “Where- how did you-”

 

“I had to go into town for clan business.” Chanyeol’s eyes were trained on the gown, admiring every aspect of how it looked on you. “A shopkeeper was selling them, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was already yours.”

 

There was a short pause.

 

“That, and I’m pretty sure if I had waited any longer to get you some new clothes the old ones would’ve fallen off of you.”

 

You snorted, laughing along with his joke.

 

Chanyeol’s features  slowly became more serious as he trailed his gaze back up to connect with yours.

 

“There was something I’m still curious about,” He cautioned, his tone deepening. “When we first met, you mentioned something about your true, or angelic name-”

 

Instinctual fear leapt through your system like wildfire, causing you to take several steps away from Chanyeol.

 

“No, no, no, no,” His hands immediately shot up in an attempt to calm you. “I’m sorry- I didn’t mean to frighten you. I didn’t know it was a sensitive subject.”

 

You calmed your breathing, silently grateful that Chanyeol didn’t attempt to close the distance between you.

 

“It’s just- I thought- I was hoping-” You took in a deep breath, closing your eyes. “In all honesty, I was hoping that you had forgotten that I ever mentioned it.”

 

At Chanyeol’s puzzled expression, you continued.

 

“It’s… As I said before.” You swallowed. “A seraph’s name… As soon as someone knows it… They can… They can-”

 

You felt a sob try to choke its way out, the mere thought of someone having complete dominion over you chilling you to your core.

 

“Hey, hey,” Chanyeol walked forwards, taking your trembling hands within his own. “I would never do that, alright?”

 

Given the fear in your eyes, he pressed on.

 

“As far as I’m concerned, your angelic name doesn’t exist.” He smiled.

 

“It was necessary in order for me to become your Guardian, to revive you in the barn, but-” Your eyes flew around the room, your senses in a hysteric state. “Just the act of permitting someone to know without directive from the council it is taboo in itself, let alone someone having the power to-”

 

“Hey,” Chanyeol cupped your cheek with his hands, centering your attention on his. “I don’t care.”

 

He paused, and for a moment, the only sound that could be heard was your rapid breathing.

 

“I care about you.” Chanyeol pressed his forehead against your own. “Nothing else.”

 

He bit his lip, exhaling nervously.

 

“I swear I will always protect you.” He sighed, rubbing your cheek with his thumb. “I just need you to believe in me, to be honest with me.”

 

You closed your eyes, allowing your heart rate to steady itself.

 

Chanyeol had trusted you.

 

And now, you needed to trust him.

 

“Alright.”

 

Chanyeol seemed surprised as you spoke, leaning back just enough so that your eyes could meet.

 

Right now, in this moment, you were going to be honest with him.

 

The heavens be damned.

 

You wouldn’t fight it any longer.

 

**“I love you, Chanyeol.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Q~Q so here it is guys~ In sickness and in health, I vow to bring you your Devil’s Advocate. My head really hurts right now so I’ll keep it short, but thank you so much to everyone who kept faith and remained patient with me, and to those who were curious without being pestering or rude. Sorry this chapter was more heavy on the fluff and exposition than anything else, but I hope it was still worth the wait. 
> 
> I’m gonna go take a nap now :)
> 
> ~Nunchi


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: blood, violence, torture
> 
> _Here it is, everyone. After 6 months, I give you the next installment to the series. I hope you all enjoy the intensity of the second to last chapter of Devil’s Advocate._

Feeling a soft ache in your arms and legs, you rolled onto your other side. The sunlit sheets were gentle and warm against your healing skin. You groaned softly from sleep, stretching the muscles in your calves. As you moved your legs underneath the sheets, your foot brushed someone else’s skin. You recoiled immediately out of instinct, the memories of the night prior still fresh in your mind.

 

Chanyeol stirred beside you on the bed. You blushed as you saw his shoulders lift and dip after he took a long, deep breath. He turned, eyes still closed as he now faced you, arm tucked under the pillow.

 

A gentle smile made its way across your lips. You couldn’t help it.

 

When he was asleep, his usually harsh features relaxed, leaving his scarlet hair ruffled and his breathing calm.

 

Chanyeol had never looked so…

 

…Gentle.

 

Exhaling, you remembered how last night went.

 

You had decided to give him a chance.

 

After the kiss, Chanyeol was too stunned to do much of anything but gawk. You remember pressing your thumb against his cheek, reassuring him that you had now placed your trust in his abilities to become a loving man; something his was raised to eradicate.

 

That night, as Chanyeol blew out the candle and prepared to leave his room to your privacy, you reached out, grabbing his hand with soft force.

 

Did you want him here? Did you want him to leave?

 

“Don’t go.”

 

The words left your lips before you could stop them. A silent plea from your heart, and not your head.

 

“I can’t, angel-cakes.” He smiled sadly. “I’ve never been able to sleep at night. Not for centuries. And besides- you need rest more than anyone here.”

 

“I can’t sleep.” You quickly interjected. “Please. I’d feel… much safer.”

 

At this, Chanyeol’s shoulders seemed to tense, his eyes wavering.

 

He swallowed, “A-Alright.”

 

Then, without another word being spoken, he walked to the other side of the bed. As though the mattress was made of eggshells, he placed himself atop the sheets. It was almost as if he was too scared to move a muscle, his breathing restrained and quiet.

 

After the candle was out and there lay a half hour of silence, you whispered, keeping your back turned to him.

 

“It’s okay, Chanyeol… I know what you’re capable of, and I know what you are not.”

 

The room fell back into silence after this, the only noise being the soft rustle of sheets as Chanyeol delicately nestled underneath them, keeping a respectful distance. The two of you fell asleep this way, becoming comfortable with the simultaneous distance yet proximity to each other.

 

And here you lay, awake against the rays of sun that came through the window.

 

Despite what your entire existence preached against, you had allied yourself with the devil.

 

An ally turned friend; and possibly something more.

 

You outstretched your arm, catching the light on your palm. You flinched just slightly as you saw another hand reach out to overlap yours.

 

Chanyeol’s hand.

 

You turned your head, watching him as he kept his eyes centered on his outstretched palm, fingers playing with the patterns of sunlight.

 

“Y’know.” His voice was low. “That’s the first time I’ve ever fallen asleep at night.”

 

He then chuckled briefly to himself, the flash of a smile appearing then disappearing.

 

“Now that I think about it. That’s the first time I’ve slept… at all.”

 

You bit the inside of your cheek, now realizing the gap of differences between the two of you. The gap that was ever so slowly beginning to close.

 

“There is,” You started, voice dry, “Time, to heal.”

 

Chanyeol brought his hand down, propping himself up on his elbow.

 

“Now that-” You sat up, slowly bringing your legs to drape over the side of the bed. “Everything is over.”

 

Were people done hunting you? And if so…

 

Did you really want to leave?

 

As you started to stand, you felt brusque arms wrapping around your shoulders. Heat spread across your face.

 

“Let me just,” Chanyeol’s voice came out raspy- desperate, almost, “Let me enjoy this moment, for a little longer.”

 

The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end.

 

Something seemed… off.

 

“Chanyeol,” You tried not to let your voice betray your concern. “Everything… Everything is over, right?”

 

His grip tightened as he tucked his forehead into your neck. His voice came out in a hushed whisper, almost as if he had asked himself this question instead of you.

 

“Of course.”

 

* * *

 

A week passed.

 

The broken connection between you and Chanyeol was beginning to show signs of healing. While time may not be the healer of all wounds, it certainly acts as a catalyst for reconciliation.

 

Eva spent the past seven days in the camp’s intensive care unit. Because of Yixing’s ceaseless care and treatment, her wings were almost perfectly healed. For the first time in months, years, and even decades, she was cleared and able to stretch her wings again.

 

It was a cold, sunny day when you were asked both by Chanyeol and Yixing personally to help rehabilitate her;  to teach what her muscle memory had not doubt forgotten over time.

 

Checking out with Chanyeol and the guards at the gate, you walked with her to the clearing that was a few miles from camp. The woods were silent, though the cool, dry air probably kept them hidden for warmth. Your attempts to get Eva to talk proved futile, although her senses remained alert. Eva was going through a battle of her own- fighting the countless years of trauma she experienced alone. It would be a miracle if she could ever return to the being she once was, but you were determined to do everything in your power to guide her and help her pick back up the pieces. Beginning with reteaching her a part of her identity that had been long withheld from her.

 

“Alright, now- let me help you up.” You spotted the large oak on the outskirts of the clearing, stopping at the base and gesturing for Eva to begin climbing up.

 

She looked hesitant, her eyes wavering in doubt and fear at the tall branches.

 

You decided to climb up first, supporting yourself on the first branch before outstretching your hand for her to hold on to.

 

“Take my hand. Okay now, put your foot on that small branch right there- yes that’s it. Now grab my other hand- push!”

 

With a hefty stretch, Eva managed to heave herself onto the thick branch, quicking hugging the trunk of the tree to steady herself.

 

“Alright, now, we aren’t that high up,” You spoke calmly. “We’ll start with just stretching them out for a bit.”

 

Backing away from the trunk, you balanced yourself further down the branch, opening your wings and giving Eva space to do so in the process.

 

Ever so slowly, she began to unfurl her wings. Each feather uncurled and expanded, one at a time, as though the nerves within them had just woken up after a century of hibernation.

 

After her wingspan had been fully stretched and relaxed, you beckoned her to the edge of the tree branch with you. Taking her hand within your own, you smiled reassuringly at her.

 

“I’m sure the thought of flying feels foreign to you now,” You squeezed her hand. “But trust me- your wings have a memory of their own that is never erased. They know what they’re doing, even if your brain might not.”

 

She took another hesitant step forward, slowly brushing the tips of her wings up and down in preparation.

 

“That’s it,  _that’s_ it.” You stepped off the branch, swiping your wings down powerfully to keep you suspended in mid air just beyond reach of the branch. “Deep breaths, just take deep breaths.”

 

Eva became more forceful with her movements, deliberate focus on the amount of power within each stroke.

 

“That’s it,” You smiled. “And on the exhale-”

 

Upon releasing a deep breath, Eva leaped from the branch, expanding her wings and diving beyond the height of the tree.

 

She was doing it.

 

She was flying again.

 

Unable to hide your excitement, you grinned, flying upwards to catch up to her.

 

“As long as you can keep your breathing stable, your wings know what to do on their own.”

 

Eva opened her eyes slowly, extending her hand gracefully to brush the tip of a low cloud that had sunk towards the earth. The fog dissipated at her touch, the wind blowing the sleek black hair from her face. And, for the very first time, you saw the traces of a smile curve at the edges of her lips.

 

The two of you flew for a few minutes more before circling back over the clearing and landing back on the naked oak branch.

 

As you made your way down the tree trunk, Eva’s voice sounded behind you, causing you to jump.

 

“So, that is your decision?” Your head whipped around, eyes connecting with Eva’s bold gaze. “That you wish to stay here.”

 

The question severely caught you off guard. You found your mind whirling to come up with an answer that could make any sum of sense.

 

“Do you…” She took a small step forward, then paused. “ _Love_ , him?”

 

As the wind began to blow harder, you could only meet her gaze wordlessly.

 

“Your silence is telling.” The tone of her voice was ambiguous. “But I hope you know.”

 

There was a short pause.

 

“The gate closes in three months time, when the moon has its longest rest amongst the stars.”

 

“What?” Your eyebrows furrowed. “Three months? But how-”

 

Eva’s eyes suddenly narrowed, and she stepped forwards aggressively. You flinched as she gripped your wrist, holding it up to her eyes.

 

“What is this?” She questioned quickly, concern thick in her voice.

 

A thin gash spread across your forearm, trickling blood down to your hand and off your fingertips. You didn’t even realize you had hurt yourself.

 

“I probably just scratched myself landing on the tree.” You offered in an attempt to calm her.

 

“Let’s go back, soon.” She released your arm. “You don’t know how many…  _things_ can smell your blood.” Her eyes traveled all across the clearing, beyond the treetops.

 

“Even here.”

 

“Alright,” You said, breaking her from her trance as you took her hand. “Let’s walk back together.”

 

Grey clouds had shifted over the once-blue sky, draining whatever semblance of heat the sun used to give away and drying the air of warmth. It was fairly dark by the time the two of you made it back to camp. The lights burning dimly from a distance.

 

As you got nearer to the warehouse, however, the lights that were usually lit at the watchtowers were put out.

 

You halted dead in your tracks, Eva almost running into you in the process. You pulled her behind yourself protectively.

 

“Something’s wrong.”

 

No one was outside. Not a soul.

 

It was silent.

 

Deathly silent.

 

“Stay close to me.” You whispered softly over your shoulder.

 

The two of you stalked towards the front gate, your senses on high alert for immediate danger.

 

As you came to the metal door, however, you found it to be cracked open.

 

Unlocked.

 

The gate creaked with an uneasy amount of noise as you pulled it open just far enough for you and Eva to squeeze through. She squeezed your hand tighter as you entered.

 

There was no one inside.

 

Your heart rate beginning to escalate, you ran with Eva through every room, hallway, and warehouse you could find.

 

No one.

 

The silence weighed on your ears, the only noise audible to you being the thudding of your own heart.

 

With only one place left to check, you sprinted to Chanyeol’s bedroom.

 

As you approached the door, you slowed to a stop.

 

The lock had been broken.

 

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you pushed the metal door open, its broken hinges hissing in response.

 

“Chanyeol?”

 

There was only silence as you padded cautiously into the room.

 

He wasn’t there.

 

No one was.

 

You gripped a handful of your hair in panic, your breathing quickly becoming unstable.

 

The entire clan, in a matter of minutes, had completely vanished.

 

“There.”

 

Eva stood from the doorway, gesturing to the bed.

 

You walked towards it, finding delicately laid upon it, a red envelope. The only thing inscribed on it was the letter X, written in thick black ink.

 

With your hands shaking, you slowly opened it, taking out the parchment within.

 

It was brief. So much so that almost immediately upon reading it you brought your hand to your mouth in shock, letting the paper fall to the floor.

 

Inside the envelope was a piece of parchment containing one word.

 

_“Cabin.”_

 

Attached to the paper was a photo. Tears welled up in your eyes as you saw Chanyeol and the rest of his huntsmen, lined up, tied, and bloodied.

 

You flipped the photo over, hoping to find some aspect of hope. Some indication that this was all some kind of joke or bad dream. What you found instead caused you to let out a garbled sob.

 

It was written in blood.

 

So messily you almost couldn’t make it out.

 

_“Blue jay.”_

 

Eyes full of tears, you turned to Eva, voice cracked and broken in despair.

 

“They’ve been taken.” You choked out, hands trembling as you showed her the picture. “All of them.They’re gone.”

 

Eva’s once-vacant stare threatened to shatter once her eyes met the dark-haired figure in the photograph. Immediately she ripped the photo from your hands, holding it up to her face. Her eyes remained glazed over, emotionless.

 

Her voice was monotone as she spoke.

 

“He  _promised_ me…”

 

She looked to you, eyes filled with indiscernible purpose.

 

“Are we going to find them?” She deadpanned. “We have no idea what we’re up against.”

 

You swallowed, your hands becoming fists as you walked back to the bed, picking up the letter from the floor and returning to the doorway with it.

 

“I know where they are.”

 

Your eyes burned with a new kind of fierceness you had never felt before.

 

“We’re bringing them back.”

 

* * *

 

The moon was nigh by the time you and Eva had neared your destination. The cold air and dry branches pulled and pricked at your skin as the two of your navigated through the mountains, your only compass being the shreds of memory you held with you and a burning desire to protect the one closest to your heart.

 

Eva never questioned whether you knew where you were going. The ferocity with which you trudged through the swamp of dry leaves and trees was telling enough.

 

The all-too-familiar glow of the yellow lanterns alerted you that you were close.

 

You stopped, turning to Eva.

 

“Are you still going through with this?” You asked her.

 

Giving no indication of her intentions, she merely nodded.

 

Deciding that was the only affirmation you were going to receive, you continued pushing past the scratchy brush until you broke past the treeline.

 

The cabin.

 

The same lodge that Chanyeol and his clan had fought tooth and nail to escape from.

 

The same place where Kris had been killed.

 

With Eva following close on your heels, you walked to the front steps, doing your best to hide how much your knees were shaking.

 

You were terrified.

 

You might not ever be coming back.

 

As you went to knock on the door, it slowly swung open, unguarded and unlocked.

 

Taking a deep breath, you stepped into the hazy orange glow of the lodge’s lobby. Still, you had yet to see another being, man or beast alike. Aside from a single torch at the top of the wooden staircase, it was dark. Squeezing Eva’s hand, you walked up the stairs, each step breaking the deafening silence with an ominous creak.

 

You found yourself at the foot of large, wooden double-doors. You didn’t know what was on the other side. Or rather, you knew, and just didn’t know what you wanted there to be. Giving one final glance to Eva, you mustered up every ounce of determination and strength you had, pushing the two doors open with a deafening groan.

 

“Well, well, well.” The low voice of a man who sat on a wooden throne greeted your ears. “It looks as though my invitation was well-received.”

 

You bit the inside of your cheek, fighting back tears as you saw Chanyeol, Yixing, Kyungsoo, and the rest of the huntsmen on their knees beside the throne, covered in blood and deathly still. Men, or vampires, rather, were lined up against the walls of the grand room, clad in black coats and hoods that obscured their faces.

 

“Let’s skip the formalities, shall we?” You mustered up what courage you had left. “I don’t know who you are, but I can tell that-”

 

The man on the throne erupted into laughter, leaning forwards to stand to his feet. He wore simple, tight-fitting leather that contrasted his brightly-colored hair.

 

“You can’t be serious. He never-” He straightened himself, walked to where Chanyeol sat and bending down to his level. “You never told her about us? Oh that is quite the irony.”

 

He quickly turned his attention back to you.

 

“I’m Jooheon.” He bowed formally.

 

“And this,” Jooheon gestured to the brutish, intimidating man standing beside him, his arms crossed. “Is Jiyong, my business associate.”

 

“And I assumed you already know who we are.” You managed in a controlled tone.

 

“Ah, yes, little lady, but it is more in the  _what_ you are that is of greater importance.” Jooheon flashed a weasel grin. “You see, your tame little devil here is not a man of his word.”

 

Jooheon gripped the back of Chanyeol’s collar, forcing his head up and causing him to regain consciousness.

 

“Angel-cakes-…” He sputtered weakly, his eyes half-lidded.

 

“As you can see, we are the big fish in this little pond, dove.” Jooheon threw Chanyeol to the ground, taking a few steps towards you. “And as leader of the big fish, I don’t take too kindly to those attempting to overthrow me.”

 

Jooheon stood right in front of you now, much too close for comfort. Eva cowered behind you, squeezing your hand.

 

“He was a rambunctious little puppy and decided to take his vengeance out on one of my own.” He ran his fingers through a strand of your hair. “I didn’t appreciate having my warlord and half of his underlings slaughtered on a whim like that.”

 

“You mean… Kris-” Your breathing grew heavy. “He wasn’t-”

 

Jooheon stepped back and roared in laughter.

 

“My goodness, did Chanyeol actually let you believe Kris was king of the big fish?” He leaned in, sneering. “I do find that highly amusing, little lady.”

 

Your eyes flashed to meet Chanyeol’s. A look of betrayal on yours. A look of guilt on his.

 

“However,” Jooheon began to circle you and Eva, much like a hawk circling its prey. “Just because I am king of the pond does not mean I’m not a man of my word.”

 

There was a pause, in which the only thing to be heard was the crackling of fire within the torches lit.

 

“I have a proposition.”

 

At this, Chanyeol fought with unexpected strength against his bonds, having to be subdued by several guards in the process, but not before bringing the other members to their consciousness.

 

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

 

“I’m listening.”

 

Jooheon’s lips creased into a dastardly grin.

 

“It’s easy, dove.” He snapped his fingers just above his shoulder. “An exchange.”

 

Chanyeol struggled more ferociously against his captors.

 

“The two of you for the entirety of the EXO clan.”

 

Your heart fell. Your mouth became dry.

 

“In the end, dove, I really don’t care.” Jooheon chimed. “You see, I’m an honorable man, and it’s all of equal weight to me. The choice is yours.”

 

You turned to Eva, her eyes locked onto Kyungsoo’s with levels of emotion you could never begin to understand.

 

From what you could gather, you knew Eva would never sacrifice herself for the sake of Kyungsoo, let alone an entire clan of vampires.

 

“What about  _one_ of us?” You questioned, holding your ground.

 

“It’s deal or no deal, dove.” Jooheon spoke nonchalantly. “Though I might be able to barter a few survivors in your stead.

 

Taking a deep breath, you sighed.

 

“Then, take me as you-”

 

“We’ll do it.”

 

You froze, eyes widening in shock as Eva’s voice cut you off.

 

A single tear fell down her cheek as she looked into your eyes solemnly and nodded. Giving her a sad smile, you nodded back.

 

“We’ll do it.”

 

Jooheon’s grin grew larger. He nodded to himself for a few moments before snapping his fingers, whistling to his men. Instantly, the guards drug Chanyeol and the others up by their bonds, hauling their half-dead bodies out through the lodge doors.

 

“Release the rest of the clan from the brig.” Jooheon spoke to Jiyong before turning his attention to you. “A deal is a deal.”

 

Chanyeol continued to fight against the guards that were holding him.

 

“Angel-cakes, no- (y/n)- don’t do this-” The guard was struggling to get him past the door. “You can’t- DON’T DO THIS TO ME (y/n)!”

 

A single tear fell down your cheek as you sent him one last smile.

 

The doors closed, sealing the fate you had set for yourself.

 

“I love you.”

 

Before you could even turn around, a blunt object came into contact with the back of your head, sending your consciousness crashing into the abyss.

 

* * *

 

For days, you were hooked up to drain.

 

It could as well have been anywhere from hours to centuries. At this point, time was but a foreign concept to you.

 

The drugs never left your system.

 

Your vision was never focused.

 

Voices were never discernable.

 

The world never stopped spinning.

 

There was a certain dryness that never left your mouth, leaving every part of your essence, all the way down to your very soul, frail and broken.

 

The blood you lost would always come back.

 

You were the goose with golden eggs.

 

They weren’t stupid enough to kill you.

 

Although, after weeks began to pass, you began to wish they would.

 

What they were doing with your blood, you didn’t know.

 

Was Eva in the same condition you were?

 

Was she even alive?

 

Was Chanyeol?

 

Even at this point, you knew nothing.

 

At this point, you felt your existence shrivel away into nothing.

 

Then, one day, the aspect of time forever lost on you, your wrists were freed. You were drug from your holding cell, one guard on either side of you gripping an arm.

 

In you drugged state, you could only smile to yourself.

 

Admittedly, you were hopeful at the thought of death. You feel guilty about feeling this way, either. You couldn’t.

 

You were tired.

 

So,  _so_ tired.

 

The months of captivity.

 

Of cat and mouse.

 

Of love and hate.

 

You just wanted it all to end.

 

Light seared your retinas painfully as you were brought into a massive throne room. Everything was either stone or steel, the air cold and wet around you. Your legs bruised as your limp body was carelessly dragged to the stop of thick, stone steps. Your head slumped to the side as you were hung over the side of a round slab of cold, damp stone.

 

You saw Eva, the same position as you, with the same glazed over look in her eyes. You winced as rough hands began to die your wrists together, your dry skin cracking and splitting as the rope rubbed against it.

 

The two of you continued to look at each other as the guards moved in a blur around you, each searching for some source of light in the other’s presence. Some sense of calm that you could bestow upon each other’s souls.

 

Muffled yells and growling abruptly ripped your attention away from Eva. Kneeling on the ground whilst slumped over a large rock, you found it difficult to turn your head. You managed, however, and the sight before you caused your heart to suffocate.

 

Bound and beaten, kneeling on the ground before you, were Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

 

In all honesty, your brain couldn’t decide whether to cry, scream, or laugh. It was if the wiring in your mind short-circuited, leaving you with only a vacant stare to those in front of you.

 

“A deal is a deal.”

 

Jooheon’s voice almost sounded warped, due to the remnant of drugs still left in your system. His figure appeared in between you and Eva.

 

“Unfortunately for you, Chanyeol, you have decided to break it.”

 

You could see Chanyeol’s blurry image, fighting against his captors. It took four men to subdue him, resulting in him being kicked to the floor and left there, heaving for air. Kyungsoo merely stood there, kneeling with a look of pure vengeance on his face.

 

“You were so intent on dashing here in your heroism, planning to rescue your beloved angels. That, however, was not part of the deal. So, when these lovely ladies are going to be put through the most excruciating pain in their lives,” Jooheon hummed, leaning over to grip your chin between his fingers. “It will all be thanks to you.”

 

“It doesn’t matter.” You managed to croak.

 

“What’s this?” Jooheon straightened himself, tilting his head in amusement.

 

“No matter what you do to us.” Your voice cracked, inexplicably dry. “Nothing will change.”

 

“Oh, dove,” Jooheon cooed, stroking the feathers at the tip of your wings. “You know so little.”

 

“I know enough to determine Chanyeol isn’t a liar,” You spat, “Like you.”

 

Jooheon let out an irritated laugh.

 

“You see, that’s what makes this little confrontation here so ironic.” Without warning, he plucked one of your feathers, causing you to bite your lip hard enough to draw blood. “You believe your devil to be tame, don’t you? A good citizen you can trust when days are dark.”

 

Jooheon gripped your chin once more, forcing you to look at Chanyeol directly in the eyes from across the throne room.

 

“So many things you do not know, dove.” He whispered, his breath hot on your ear. “Like, for instance,”

 

He chuckled grimly.

 

“The fact that he never stopped bartering away your blood, my dear.”

 

Your eyes flew open in shock, your eyes full of disbelief as you searched for answers within Chanyeol’s gaze.

 

His eyes, however, were filled with nothing but guilt, his gaze cast down to the ground as if in shame.

 

“He knew such a valuable asset couldn’t just be tossed aside,” Jooheon because to run his fingers through your hair. “So he continued to sell it; continued to test it. It’s quite powerful, even beyond the scope of our wildest dreams.”

 

You began to shake your head, tears welling up in your eyes.

 

Chanyeol had lied.

 

He told you he was done with searching for power.

 

That he wanted to rebuild his life with you in it, even if it meant giving up what he valued most.

 

That everything was safe, now.

 

That everything was  _over_.

 

Chanyeol’s voice was so desperate, “(y/n), it’s not what you think, I swear I-”

 

A guard’s fist connected with his face at high speed, silencing him.

 

“And you, my dear.” Jooheon left your side, circling behind Eva. “Oh my, it’s been a long time, now, hasn’t it?”

 

You could see so much anger hidden within Eva’s eyes; more than you had ever seen her experience before.

 

“As for you,” Jooheon cooed, his fingers running through the length of her wing. “You know as well as I that Kyungsoo never loved you.”

 

Eva’s gaze remained locked onto Jooheon’s. You looked at Kyungsoo, however, and found him to be still and void of emotion, regardless of Jooheon’s statement.

 

“You fight it. But tell me,” Jooheon gave a pondrous smile.

 

“Has he ever said he loved you, even once?”

 

Eva’s eyes began to fall in defeat, doubt preying on her mind like a disease.

 

“The past is never erased.” Jooheon looked coldly onto Kyungsoo, meeting his cold stare. “The atrocities he has committed against you. Do you think he feels any remorse?”

 

It was then that Kyungsoo began to fight against his bonds, a definitive growl erupting from his throat.

 

“You see!?” Jooheon circled back around You and Eva, hands raised in epiphany. “Trust has been betrayed on all sides! All sides except my own.”

 

A look of defeat was on everyone’s face. Everyone except Jooheon.

 

“I am a man of my word, Chanyeol.” Jooheon’s voice lowered substantially.

 

“They will never fly again.”

 

Before you even had the chance to meet Chanyeol’s eyes one last time, a blindfold was thrown over you, obscuring your vision. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Eva had one as well. The guard behind you tightened the knot painfully tight.

 

Your heart threatened to beat outside of its cage.

 

You didn’t know what was happening.

 

Or who was first.

 

The piercing shriek of a metal blade being dragged against the ground met your ears painfully.

 

“No!” You heard Chanyeol roar. “Jooheon you can’t do this!”

 

Another sickening crunch was heard, signifying Chanyeol had been knocked to the ground.

 

Jooheon’s voice was sickening.

 

“Here’s to hoping the axe is sharp enough to slice through in one swing. Otherwise we have some bloody business ahead of us.”

 

The screeching noise was heard again, this time on the space between you and Eva.

 

You felt a dark presence behind you.

 

You clenched your eyes shut, preparing yourself in vain for what was about to happen.

 

The axe could be heard being raised.

 

You sucked air inside your lungs.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

A bloodcurdling scream echoed across the room.

 

A scream that was not yours.

 

Kyungsoo’s voice roared at an intensity that shook the very ground you knelt upon.

 

**“EVANGELINE!”**

 

Screams in utter agony combined with broken sobs met your ears, and suddenly, you felt warm liquid graze the skin of your legs, pooling there.

 

You couldn’t hold your fear back any longer, your lungs constricting as you released dry, cracked sobs of your own.

 

You felt large, rough hands wrap around the base of your wings.

 

Your heart felt like it could explode outside of your chest. Part of you wished it would- ending the suffering quicker.

 

This was happening.

 

And you couldn’t stop it.

 

As you clenched your eyes as tightly as possible, you sent one final prayer to those above.

 

**The axe fell.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLOT TWIST. This was probably the hardest chapter I’ve ever had to write. It’s past midnight and I have to wake up in four hours, but who needs sleep when there’s devil’s advocate amiright?? Let me know what you guys’ thought~ ^_^ I love you all so much!!
> 
> \- Nunchi


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Blood, violence, language
> 
> _Here it is~ Happy new year, everyone! ^^_

And yet.

 

Nothing.

 

_**CRACK** _

 

A grotesque snap sounded behind you, sickeningly close to your ear.

 

You felt something splatter onto your cheek.

 

The cracking and snapping continued, resounding in places all around the room, followed by several thuds of bodies dropping to the ground.

 

Yelling.

 

Roaring.

 

Screaming.

 

The noise intermingled together in your hallucinogenic state, making it impossible to pinpoint who it was that was screaming, and why.

 

Your own heavy panting quickly drowned out all other noise.

 

The room fell silent.

 

The blood pulsed inside your ears, adrenaline causing your non-visual senses to become hyper aware.

 

Suddenly, you felt hands touch your blindfold. You cried out a broken, terrified sob.

 

“Shhh, shhhh, babygirl it’s me.” You heard a familiar voice coax you as the knot on your blindfold was being untied. “I’m going to take this off. But I need you to keep you eyes closed.”

 

As it fell from your face, Chanyeol’s image blurred in and out of focus in front of you. Your eyes wandered.

 

“No, no.” Chanyeol cupped his hand over your eyes. “Don’t look.”

 

 

Against your better judgement, you closed your eyes, leaning on his shoulder as he guided you.

 

“Chanyeol…” You groaned, dizziness clouding your senses.

 

“Just close your eyes, Angel-cakes,” His voice rang in your ears as your balance dissented. “I’ll get you out of-”

 

“You lied… to me.”

 

You choked on the sob that escaped you.

 

“I know… I know, babygirl, I know.” Chanyeol led you down the stairs, his arms wrapping around you for support. “I just need you to hang on, we have to get out of here.”

 

Curiosity got the better of you. Lifting your eyelids just slightly, they soon flew open in horror at the scene before you. You couldn’t contain your gasp as you saw dozens of mangled, bloody bodies strewn all across the stone floors.

 

Hearing your gasp, Chanyeol was quick to recover your eyes.

 

His voice was thick with sadness.

 

“It’s almost over. I promise you, it’s almost over.”

 

You never reopened your eyes after seeing that, allowing Chanyeol to lead you through an unknown maze of corridors and stairways.

 

You felt the ground vibrate beneath you. You shivered in fear. Chanyeol sensed this as well, his pace becoming increasingly hurried until he broke through the gate that led outside. The two of you broke into a run towards the nearest treeline. Your legs screamed at you to stop. Your lungs constricted around your heart, suffocating you as you continued to follow Chanyeol into the forest.

 

No sooner than the two of you broke past the line of pine trees, an explosion erupted behind you.

 

You flew forwards, ears ringing in deafness as you collapsed onto Chanyeol.

 

The last thing you felt was the gentle source of heat against your skin, the flickering light of a fire, before you fell unconscious.

 

 

* * *

 

 

You awoke with a gasp, body bolting upright.

 

Your nerves were overtaken with a cold sweat. Air was heaved into your lungs as you struggled to normalize your breathing.

 

You were back in Chanyeol’s room.

 

It was night, though you had no bearing on how long you had been asleep. Sighing, you placed your head in your hands, exhausted and completely broken at the hell you had just been put through.

 

Chanyeol had lied.

 

Not once, but several times.

 

Was that all your relationship was based on?

 

Your mind raced incoherently through the memories of the past several months. The pain, both mental and physical, that plagued your existence. The endless, repeated cycle of terror and rescue that toyed with your emotions and wore you down to your core. The moments spent in the captivity and torture of those that walked the earth. People that were more corrupt and evil than your nightmares could conjure up. Evil enough to make you forget where you came from.

 

Who you were.

 

Your hand flew to the scar on your neck where Chanyeol had marked you. Tears welled up in your eyes as the weight of grief came crashing down.

 

_The **bond**._

 

You had forgotten.

 

Forgotten that everything you had done for Chanyeol, everything you felt towards him-

 

It was all fake.

 

How could you call Chanyeol out on lying to you, when you had entertained the biggest lie of all.

 

That your love was real.

 

Letting a single tear fall down the side of your cheek, your gaze turned to the moonbeams, casting a blue glow on the bed sheets. You gasped immediately, remembering the warning you were told. You sat up on your knees, peering through the window above the bed.

 

The moon was almost nigh.

 

By tomorrow night, it would be at its peak.

 

Things slowly started dawning on you as you realized your predicament.

 

Time was running out.

 

“Eva!” Your eyes widened as fear pulsed through your veins.

 

You flung the sheets from the bed, sprinting to the heavy metal door and not giving it a moment’s thought before swinging it open. With memory vague and distant, you tried to piece together the route that led to Eva’s room. Breathing heavily and with cold sweat still unbroken, you navigated the hallways in search of her.

 

Soon enough, you came upon a familiar door. Giving yourself only a brief moment of composure, you knocked.

 

“Eva?” You spoke softly. “Eva… are you in there?”

 

As you tried the handle, you found the door unlocked. Swallowing the nervous lump in your throat, you cautiously pushed the door open.

 

Inside there was nothing but darkness.

 

“…Eva?”

 

“Don’t-”

 

You jumped, startled at the sound of an anxious, worried voice.

 

“Don’t turn on the lights.”

 

“Eva,” You walked forward just slightly, closing the door behind you. “Are you… are you-”

 

“You must make the decision.” Her voice sounded monotone; lifeless. “The gate opens tomorrow night, and will not return for another millennia to come.”

 

“But… I-”

 

“Listen to me Sarielle.” Eva’s tone was grim. “If you desire to spare yourself from a thousand years of misery due every seraph who walks this cursed ground, then you cannot be hesitant. Not in the slightest.” She whispered so quietly, almost inaudible. “Not like me.”

 

“Then, you must leave with me.” You took a step forward into the void.

 

“You must go where I can not, and never will again.”

 

“Eva, come with me, we  _must_ go together.”

 

There was silence.

 

And then, you heard it softly.

 

Crying.

 

Gentle sobs; ones that grew unstable.

 

Backing up until your shoulders were pressed up against the door, you reached in the dark for the switch that turned on the lights.

 

Before your judgement would intervene, you flipped it.

 

Grey light flickered into the room in increments. Slowly, the light made its way to the dark-haired figure crouched in the corner of the room.

 

You brought your hand to cover your mouth in horror at the sight.

 

Where Eva’s ethereal white wings once lay in an arc on her shoulders, now was replaced by bloodied, mangled lumps, covered by gauze that wrapped around her chest.

 

Silken black hair covering her face, she flinched as she realized the light shown down on her disgrace.

 

A bloodcurdling scream echoed throughout the room as Eva scrambled to her feet. She staggered to the door as fast as she could, shrieking in terror as her hands flailed to turn off the lights.

 

The flip was switched, sending the room back into a veil of darkness.

 

You stood there, panting in shock with your back pressed up against the door.

 

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, you heard her speak quietly.

 

“There is no time for indecisiveness.” Her tone was of utter defeat. “You must go. Now.”

 

“Eva,” You swallowed, “I’m sure there is a way-”

 

“YOU MUST GO!” She screeched.

 

Adrenaline sending your nerves into a state of fear, you staggered backwards, throwing the door open and running outside.

 

Cries ached at your sore throat as you continued to sprint down the halls, dazed in complete horror.

 

You didn’t know where you were running, let alone where you wanted to end up.

 

You just kept running.

 

 _Is that the fate of any seraph cursed to walk this land?_  Tears blurred your vision.  _Is that my fate?_

 

As you went to wipe the tears from your face, you collided straight into someone.

 

“Woah, woah,” Yixing’s soft voice cooed as he steadied you. “Shhhhh. Calm down, sweetheart. What’s the matter?”

 

You coughed, choking on your spit as your struggled to calm yourself. “They’re gone…”

 

Yixing’s face straightened, aware of what you had seen.

 

You couldn’t form any other words, your voice erupting into a burst of uncontrollable sobs.

 

“Come on,” He wrapped his arms around your shoulders. “Let’s get you to the office.”

 

You were a mixture of coughs and sobs on the walk to the medical ward, unable to put a coherent strand of thoughts together for several minutes. After you were seated on the bench and given a glass of water, your cries subsided.

 

There was silence.

 

Your fingers clenched around the cup you were holding. Your eyes travelled up from the floor to meet Yixing’s. The gaze you wore burned with a fierce intensity that almost caused him to flinch.

 

“Yixing.” You deadpanned, tone gravely serious.

 

“I have something to ask of you.”

 

* * *

 

A sigh escaped Chanyeol’s lips.

 

His hand rested loosely on his knees as he sat on the tin roof of the warehouse. Closing his eyes, he took in the air that mixed when night and day met- just before the sun peeked out from behind the endless sea of pine trees. Ignoring the bitter wind that nicked his skin, his thoughts naturally drifted to you.

 

Of that day.

 

In the week of serenity before the clan attacked.

 

That one, beautiful day…

 

_“Where do you want to go?” Chanyeol trotted along beside you, a smile in his voice. “Anywhere you want, to see anything you want. Today is your day.”_

_You hummed, overwhelmed and more than a little nervous at the proposition. After several moments of heavy consideration, you peered up at the sky._

_“This is going to sound silly, but-” You bit your lip. “Are there any apple trees nearby?”_

_Chanyeol stopped in his tracks, giving you a slightly incredulous look. “An apple tree?”_

_You nodded._

_“There’s a rather infamously large one on the outskirts of the village.” Chanyeol nodded in the direction of a vast valley in the distance. “Would that suffice?”_

_Again, you nodded, this time more vigorously._

_You were in total awe once the two of you reached the tree. Its gangly limbs stretched tens of feet in all directions, its roots projecting far into the dirted clearing. The tan wood was so incredibly smooth, and thick enough to speak its age of centuries old._

_Without waiting for instruction, you advanced up its branches, climbing with little grace until you reached a particularly thick limb several feet off the ground. You panted as you pulled yourself up, surprised to find Chanyeol already resting further down its length with a proud smirk. You released a huff of annoyance, blowing a stray bang from your eyes._

_After you were settled, Chanyeol spoke up._

_“So, why the apple tree?”_

_You smiled softly to yourself, lost in the moment as you plucked a ripe, red apple from the branch just above your head._

_“I was fascinated.” You rubbed your thumb across the fruit’s smooth skin. “Only being able to look down upon civilizations, there were countless stories formed around these trees. Myths, legends, and folklore alike. To some, its fruit held healing properties. To others, it contained the secrets of immortality itself.”_

_A gentle breeze blew through the canopy of leaves, ghosting through your hair._

_“One story in particular had me innately curious.” Just above a whisper, you spoke. “A story about how the apple tree belonged to druids, and how the apples themselves held within them true magic. These fruits held a taste so sweet, they drove men mad. The magic inside them was promised by the druids to bestow both a blessing and a curse upon whoever dared to eat one. He who partook of the red apples would become the man he always wanted to be, at the cost of forever destroying who he once was. He that partook of the green apples would hold the knowledge of anything he wished to understand, at the cost of losing his untold future. There was a third apple, however, only spoken of by the myth of the myth. This apple was of shining, shimmering gold. He who found himself blessed enough to come upon this apple would be granted his heart’s most earnest desire in physical form.”_

_You paused, glancing upwards to see the mosaic of sunlight flutter through the leaves._

_“What was the cost of the third apple?” Chanyeol’s voice was low. Intrigued._

_You exhaled, your fiddling with the stem of the apple you picked halted._

_“That the blessing would not last forever. That at any sign of his doubt, at any urge to waver, it would vanish into starlight.”_

_For a while, there was silence. Only the gentle wind that graced the surfaces it blew against._

_“I always wanted to know whether or not the golden apples existed.” You whispered. “And if so, whether or not I was brave enough to know my most earnest desire.”_

_“What is it?”_

_Chanyeol’s question flustered you._

_“I-” Your mind raced. “I don’t think I know just yet. It’s something I am forever unable to convey concretely.”_

_Another pause._

_“Would you?”_

_Chanyeol shook his head in confusion. “Would I what?”_

_“Would you take a golden apple?”_

_Chanyeol pursed his lips, thoroughly contemplating the question within his head before answering._

 

 

* * *

 

 

“I need you to break the bond.”

 

Silence.

 

Yixing sighed, running a hand through his hair.

 

“There’s nothing I can do.”

 

“We both know that’s a lie, Yixing.” Your gaze was cold. “I’m… I’m tired of living in one.”

 

Yixing stood to his feet, walking to the other side of the medical ward in an attempt to dismiss the conversation.

 

“What’s to stop someone else from trying to tear us apart?” You followed closely behind him, anger attempting to tighten your throat. “These feelings were never even mine to begin with, Yixing. Following this pull has only ever brought me pain. Pain I never could have imagined in my most vivid nightmares.”

 

Yixing froze by the sink, his hands clenching the countertop.

 

“That’s what my time here has been.” Your hands clenched into fists at your sides as tears threatened to gloss over your vision. “A nightmare I have never been able to wake from. My own emotions toying with me like a hapless, lovestruck doll.”

 

With his back still turned, Yixing gave no response.

 

“I feel trapped, Yixing. I always have. Trapped between living in blissful ignorance of a fake happiness, and shattering it all with the touch of reality.” You wiped the remaining tears away with the back of your palm. “I thought you of all people would understand.”

 

“You’re really prepared to leave him behind?”

 

There was a suffocating presence around your heart. It gave you pause.

 

“If there was no bond…” You spoke just above a whisper. “Then maybe… Just maybe-”

 

 _No._ You bit your lip. Hard.  _There is._

 

Neither of you could deny the pull, no matter how genuine, how real it felt. It was there. It had to be.

 

“Please, Yixing.” A whisper. “I don’t know how much longer I can go on living like this.”

 

It was true.

 

Whatever was left of your heart was forever marred; ashes of a false promise. A false love.

 

“There might…” Yixing spoke with his back turned, taking a deep breath before continuing. “-Be a way.”

 

He turned around, his eyes red with emotion.

 

“There is… a hormone.”

 

Another pause.

 

“A chemical that links the two of you together. Passed into your bloodstream through Chanyeol’s bite.” Yixing began rummaging through shelves and drawers, gathering tools and liquids onto a tray as he spoke. “Though it is thoroughly improbable that it will work, I can try to extract that element from your system, forever ridding your bonded connection to Chanyeol.”

 

Wires and tubes were hooked up to the medical stretcher. Yixing stopped, turning to face you.

 

“Because of the chemical, your previously red blood slowly begins to stain black. If this procedure is successful, then your blood will no longer be dark, but turn completely clear.”

 

“Clear? You mean, before I was marked-”

 

“Your blood was normal- red, yes.” He took a deep breath. “By this point, it should be very dark, nearly black- though, there’s no need for me to hurt you to find how just how dark it has become.”

 

“How do you know?” A soft question. “That…That the blood turns black?”

 

Without a word, Yixing reached behind him for a scalpel. Pressing the blade of it into his fingertip, you watched as a pitch-black liquid dripped from the wound.

 

“You’re… You’re bonded.” You spoke breathlessly. He gave a light nod, his eyes dark.

 

There was a prolonged silence.

 

There was only one question left in your mind.

 

You sucked in a breath, letting the unspoken words hang on your lips.

 

“Yixing-” You reached out to touch his arm. “This won’t-”

 

“Kill him?” Yixing took a deep breath. “No… No, it won’t. At least… Not physically.”

 

An uncomfortable silence permeated the air, causing every hair on your skin to stand on end.

 

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

 

Though Yixing’s words were soft, you knew just how heavy they felt. To your ears, as well as his own.

 

As much as you would give anything to relive those spare moments of joy and ecstasy spent with Chanyeol…

 

A life bonded was not a life of freedom.

 

Regardless of how beautiful that life was.

 

Closing your eyes, you inhaled. Pausing for just a moment, you released Yixing’s arm as you released your breath.

 

“Run the tests.”

  
  


* * *

 

 

Chanyeol swayed back and forth, shifting his weight between his heels and the balls of his feet. He ran a hand through his hair; back and forth, back and forth. Sighing, he scratched the back of his neck, shaking his head violently.

 

Taking a deep breath in, he opened the door.

 

“(y/n), I-”

 

You weren’t there.

 

The evening sun glowed amber through the thin metal windows. Chanyeol walked to the bed. The sheets were messy and displaced. After checking the bathroom and the hall, Chanyeol sighed to himself. He pulled the radio from his belt and turned the transmitter on.

 

“Yixing, report to my quarters immediately.”

 

Static.

 

“-I’m in the middle of something.” Yixing’s spoke methodically.

 

“Like what?” Chanyeol growled, quickly growing impatient.

 

Silence.

 

Chanyeol clenched his jaw, opening his mouth to persist into the mic.

 

“-One of your men slipped while on patrol.” Yixing deadpanned. “Because of the rain last night, he slipped, falling down the ledge just north of the lighthouse. I’ve got to finish hooking him up to life support.”

 

“It shouldn’t take you that long, then.” Chanyeol breathed. “Head over here as soon as they’re stable.”

 

Turning off the transmitter, Chanyeol walked over to the bed. Sitting on the mattress edge, he rested his elbows on his knees. He rubbed his face with his hands, pulling at the stray strands of his hair in tired exasperation.

 

It was true.

 

He hadn’t quit the experimentation on your blood.

 

 _If only you knew._ He sighed.  _That those experiments were the villagers’ desperate attempts to heal the raging illness within their homes. Within their families._

 

He would never tell you this, though. A word broken is just that, no matter the excuse. You held all the justification in the world to be angry, to spite him, to curse his kind.

 

He smiled.

 

You were always too good for him, anyways.

 

Yet somehow, there was an indignant glimmer of hope within him, telling him that no matter how long it took, no matter how bitter you felt, you would always find your way back to him. The pull between the two of you served as an invincible beacon to each other’s hearts. Chanyeol would’ve given you the world, had it been in his possession. He knew it would take every act of love and grief possible to get you to forgive him.

 

But for that forgiveness, he considered it a fair price.

 

For that forgiveness, he’d give you his everything.

 

The metal door creaked open, and Chanyeol sprung to his feet.

 

“My lord.” Yixing greeted, dipping his head.

 

“Yixing.” Chanyeol cleared his throat, walking to meet him at the doorway. “Do you know-”

 

“Where she is?” Yixing finished. “She’s outside, within the perimeter accompanied by two guards.” He sighed, fists clenched behind his back. “She said she… needed to get away.”

 

Chanyeol let out a distressed breath. Turning, he began to walk past Yixing out the door. A hand on his arm stopped him.

 

“Don’t you think she needs a little time, Yeol?”

 

Chanyeol bristled at the informality, but knew deep down it was his friend talking, not his subordinate.

 

“Give her space, Yeol.” Yixing clenched his teeth. “It’s what she wants.”

 

After a shaky exhale, Chanyeol grunted, his grip on the radio relaxing in defeat.

 

“Alright.” He huffed, pulling the door open. “Then you’re on patrol with me until she gets back. We’ll take the high mountains to-”

 

Chanyeol paused as he stepped through the doorway. His words were barely audible.

 

“To give her some space.”

 

After his footsteps sounded faintly in the distance, Yixing turned to follow, clutching the door handle hard enough to permanently bend the steel.

 

 _This is for the best, old friend._  Yixing released the handle, stalking off after his lord.  _Given the choice, I know you would let her go. You love her too much._

 

_Too much to keep her._

 

 

* * *

 

 

You awoke with a gasp, bolting upright with wide eyes. Monitors whirred and beeped around you, drawing your attention away from the golden sunlight that blinded you from the windows.

 

_It’s evening already?_

 

Sweat clung to your body, your hair greasy and mangled from such a long state of unconsciousness. Glancing downwards, you saw a myriad of cords and tubing hooked up to your forearm. Gritting your teeth, you yanked them from your system, swinging your legs around the side of the stretcher. Your vision was still focusing, but clear enough to make out a piece of paper on the side table. You reached for it.

> _Emergency call from Chanyeol_
> 
> _The procedure will be finished before I can return and see the results for myself_
> 
> _If you are awake, it means it has been done_
> 
> _The bond will no longer darken your blood_
> 
> _It will be clear_
> 
> _For better or worse_
> 
> _It’s finished now_
> 
> _Godspeed_
> 
> **_-ZYX_ **

**_  
_**  
The note shook, your hand trembling. You cursed it, letting the paper drop as you flexed your fingertips. You stood to your feet, pausing a moment to let your equilibrium follow. Peering down at your hands, you flipped them, examining the flushed skin of your knuckles, your fingernails. Looking back up, you took a deep breath. And released it.

 

You blinked, concentrating hard.

 

You didn’t…  _feel_ any different.

 

At least, not physically.

 

Peering back out the window, a hand gripped the stretcher’s sheets tightly. The sun had almost set. You needed to leave.

 

Scouring through Yixing’s shelves quickly, you located some paper and a bent ink pen. You tidied up what you could of Yixing’s office, shutting the door quietly behind you as you left.

 

After you shoved open the metal door of Chanyeol’s bedroom, you padded quickly to the side of the bed. Bending at the table, you pulled out your pen and paper. Without any restraint, you let the ink flow.

 

When you were finished, you folded it neatly.

 

Leaving the way you came, your fingers lingered on the cold steel door. Your eyes, your thoughts, traveled back to the room. The bed.  _Him_.

 

_No._

Yanking your head away, you refused to let yourself waver. Not like this. Not when your fate depended on it.

 

Not when Chanyeol’s did, too.

 

Shaking away all remnants of doubt, you shut the door behind you, never looking back.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Chanyeol roared with laughter, his arm around Yixing and entered the base.

 

“The next time a waitress asks where you work, remind me not to tell her you’re a shrink with a shrub collection.”

 

“They’re called  _herbs_. And I don’t know-” Yixing huffed, “She seemed pretty convinced when I told her the reason your hair was red was because you played with too much makeup as a child. That your mother punished you with red lipstick every time you snuck a look up a young girl’s skirts.”

 

“Though she was shy, she seemed rather interested in you, Yixing.” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows suspiciously.

 

Yixing brushed Chanyeol’s arm off of his shoulder,his tone apathetic. “What happened to ‘patrolling the perimeter,’ anyways?”

 

“I thought it’d be wise to check in on the villagers’ health-” Chanyeol smirked playfully, “As well as their liquor.”

 

“After a hundred and twenty shots you aren’t stone cold dead on the side of the road,” Yixing scoffed, rolling his eyes. “It’s a wonder you’re not plastered drunk, let alone struck with liver failure.”

 

“When the moon is high, my friend,” Chanyeol grinned, staring out a grated window. “It’s impossible to be idle and of low spirits.”

 

As they continued down the corridor, Yixing’s fists clenched at his sides.

 

“Speaking of,” Chanyeol straightened. “Didn’t you say she would be back by now?” His face slowly grew more serious. “There are still some… words, I’d like to say.”

 

Yixing remained quiet.

 

The door to Chanyeol’s quarters groaned as he pushed it open, stepping inside.

 

“(y/n)?” Chanyeol called out softly.

 

Nothing.

 

He peered further into the room, stepping cautiously as he grew nearer to the bed.

 

“(y/n)-”

 

Your name was caught on his tongue as he saw a neatly folded paper at his bedside.

 

“Yixing.” The hairs on Chanyeol’s neck began to bristle. With his back turned, his spoke dangerously calm. “Where is she?”

 

Yixing’s eyes remained set. He gave no response.

 

Chanyeol’s head snapped in Yixing’s direction, the uneasy feeling in his gut now catastrophic enough to notice he had been lied to.

 

“Where is she, Yixing!” Chanyeol whizzed to his side with inhuman speed, wrapping his hand around Yixing’s throat and pinning him against the wall. His eyes burned red, fangs protruding from his lips in rage. “Tell me!”

 

Yixing’s eyes remained still. Cold.

 

“Tell me!” Chanyeol roared. “What have you done?!”

 

Yixing grunted, his voice stable despite being pressed against the concrete.

 

“Something you couldn’t.”

 

  
Something within Chanyeol snapped. A part of him he never acknowledged he had. A part that dissolved, and with it, his strength. His fangs retracted. After releasing his grip on Yixing, Chanyeol quickly walked to the bedside table where he saw the letter.

 

His hand trembling, he picked it up. His fingers unfolded it excruciatingly slowly. He swallowed.

 

_Chanyeol,_

_Forgive me. I was naive. Looking down upon humanity, I never could grasp the concept of addiction. I understand it now. How could a man do something so self-destructive, so depraved, knowing that they’re hurting not only themselves, but the people they love? It seemed that it would be so incredibly easy for them to just not take that next drink. Just stop. It’s so simple, really. But as so often happens with me, my selfishness kept me from seeing the truth of the matter. I see it now though. Every day, I told myself it would be the last. Every night, as I fell asleep in your bed, I told myself that tomorrow I will come to terms with the reality of the emotions I’ve felt, the ones given to me by the bond. And then, it happens. Your touch, like sunlight I’ve yearned for on a cool morning. Your words everything I’ve ever wanted to hear in my entire life and more. And, just like that, all of my convictions disappear; vanish, like smoke in the wind. This cannot end well. That is the crux of the matter. You’ve been down this road before—I know you have—and there’s only heartache at the end. There’s no happy ending waiting for us as the sun rises. I am beginning to see that, no matter how much I loved you, I was merely the product of a century of hatred long forgotten. A desire never blessed. A desire never questioned._

_I am asking those questions now._

_How long until we acknowledged our attraction- our love was fabricated from the very beginning? How long until I stopped pretending you aren’t a killer, ridding yourself of everything you felt you didn’t need? How long until you realized that you didn’t need me anymore? How long until I stopped brushing off each and every lie you’ve told me as though it were harmless? How long until I put an end to the lies I wove for myself? How long until I no longer have the same nightmares every night? How long until I came to terms with the fact I was living inside of one? How long until I forget the scars on my back were created by you?_

_Maybe, just maybe, if the bond was only a figment of my imagination… But. I know it is merely wishful thinking on my part._

_Watching from beyond the stars, I believed that life could never be more precious, more nurturing. I was wrong. Life will break you. Nobody can protect you or I from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. Continue on, Chanyeol. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could._

_And that I was the one made of gold._

* * *

 

 

The bitter cold had caused your skin to grow numb. Panting as you ascended the mountainside, you breath became visible in a soft white cloud. A dull blue glow was cast upon the entire forest, leaking through the trees in wilted fragments. It was only a little father before you reached the clearing. Breaking through a line of old, dead trees, your eyes rested upon the sentient aura that would lead you home.

 

_Home._

 

A word Chanyeol had spoken to you, once before. The sound of it foreign to your ears the night he rescued you. The nights he refused to leave your side. How a monster, born through centuries of bloodshed, grew so acquainted with tenderness in the moments lit by candlelight.

 

Your confession to him was fresh. Was real.

 

You did love him.

 

Oh God, how you would have given  _anything_ to rewrite your love so that the bond had never existed.

 

You never wanted to lose those memories.

 

You only wanted to know they had been real.

 

Every touch of his skin to yours, every gentle whisper he uttered under his breath, never ceased to give you pause. A hiccup that stirred your heart at every waking moment. Though you always fought it, the feeling of that love was very present, very real. Never before had you so desperately yearned for someone’s presence to fill an insatiable void within you. Never before had you experienced such…  _human_ interactions. Such  _human_ emotion.

 

But it was not genuine. The bond had ensured that.

 

You could never accept life built on a lie.

 

No matter how blissful that lie was.

 

You could feel the portal’s pull on you. It called, beckoned you to its promise of release. Of freedom.

 

No more abuse. No more pain. No more fear.

 

You could be exactly what you were created to be. A guardian, forever distant from humanity’s cries of suffering. Forever distant from their intimacy.

 

This entire time, the reason you fought so desperately against yourself, was because you had long ignored who you really were. A being of Seraphim. Not a child of earth.

 

You were playing human.

 

And you truly began to believe you were one.

 

But you weren’t. Your only glimpse into humanity, only hope for the salvation it promised, was snatched away the moment you became a slave to your own lies. You never held a genuine connection. Not within your life as a guardian, and not within the eyes of the devil who loved you. You had rid yourself of that fabrication. The bond, the reason every hope, every emotion you attached to this earth had burned down before your very eyes, was now broken.

 

You clutched the fabric above your heart, a sort of throbbing having commenced.

_So why?_

You leaned your free arm against the smooth bark of a nearby tree, nearly gasping as you felt your chest clenching. Suffocating.

 

_Why does my heart feel like it’s being torn to shreds?_

Eyes widening, the realization hit you.

 

 _No… No, no, no._ Mind blinded by fear and confusion, you staggered away from the tree.  _It had to have worked. I know it did. It must’ve._

 

Leaves. Sticks. Moss. Bark. Twigs. Your eyes flew wildly in all directions, scouring the forest floor for anything you could use. Finally, after dusting past a rotten pile of brush, you found it. A stone, jagged on the edges and glazingly sharp.

 

Sharp enough to cut through skin.

 

Clenching your teeth, you swiped the rock across the frozen, numb skin of your palm without hesitation. You hand trembled as the bitter cold swept into the open wound. Liquid poured from the cut, streaming down your wrist and fingertips.

 

Dark liquid.

 

You were shaking your head in disbelief, backing up slowly as a wall formed in your mind. The area around you was too dimly lit. You needed light. More light. To process what was happening. Or, more accurately, what  _hadn’t_ happened.

 

You stumbled through the underbrush, tripping on roots as your heart felt like it could escape from its wary cage.

 

 _No, no… it has to be clear._  Breathing labored, you staggered towards the clearing.  _Yixing completed the procedure. It can’t be dark. It can’t be dark._

 

_It has to be clear._

_It has to be clear._

_It has to be-_

You broke through the shadows, immediately extending your palm to catch the light of the moon.

 

It was impossible to make sense of what you saw.

 

_It-_

 

You squinted, unable to control your panted breath as you examined the cut.

 

_It’s… It-_

 

The liquid that leaked from the wound was not clear.

 

Nor was it black.

 

Instead, seeping from the cut was blood of a color you never expected to see.

 

It was red.

 

Tears glossed over your vision. You remained helpless to stop them, allowing them to spill over as you found it impossible to rip your eyes away from the truth.

 

It was red.

 

Your blood was  _red_.

 

Not black. Not clear. Not green, or blue, or violet.

 

Red.

 

Your chest felt as though it could stop beating at any moment. The blood pounded in your ears thunderously. The realization came to you as though an iron veil had been lifted.

 

There was no bond.

 

There never had been.

 

This entire time, the reason your emotion was so passionate, the connection so lucid.

 

This entire time, your love…

 

It  _was_ real.

 

You didn’t know how it was possible.

 

But the evidence was right before you, dripping solemnly onto the forest floor.

 

_Chanyeol…_

Your gaze darted between the glowing blue hue of the portal and the thin stream of crimson that leaked from your hand.

 

You knew  _exactly_ what you had to do.

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
The iron gate flew from its hinges.

 

Two figures broke through. A blur of red, dashing in the direction of the woods at an inhuman speed, and a flash of black following close behind.

 

“Stop it, Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo yelled, wrapping an arm around Chanyeol’s waist and shoulder before he could make it past the treeline. His grip was unrelenting, even as Chanyeol viciously fought to throw him off.

 

Chanyeol hissed, the growls he emitted no longer human as his fangs protruded villainously.

 

“She’s made her decision, Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo was calm as he spoke, his voice gentle. “Let her go through with it.”

 

A roar echoed across the wilderness, the very trees shaking at the ferocity of his voice.

 

“Let her  _go_ , Chanyeol.”

 

His body stiffened. Kyungsoo released his grip on Chanyeol as he grew weak underneath his hold.

 

“If you care about her, you have to let her go.”

  
  
There was silence.

 

Chanyeol fell to his knees, his eyes bloodshot and lifeless as his hands fell limp at his sides. Ever so slowly, he looked up to meet the gaze of his friend. Tears welled up inside of his eyes as he spoke, his voice a broken whisper.

 

“I love her, Kyungsoo.”

 

The raven-haired figure knelt down beside him, his eyes containing the purest form of conviction within them.

 

“I know.”

 

A sigh.

 

“Sometimes, a truly selfless act of love is letting them believe you are nothing but a monster.”

 

Kyungsoo looked at the ground, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before speaking again.

 

“The greatest act of all is letting them run from you like you are one.”

 

Chanyeol’s fist collided with the earth, the ground vibrating with intensity behind it. Upon contact, he released within himself the innermost cry of his soul. A yell so guttural, so raw of every emotion he felt. A cry that split trees in half and turned the air around him dry.

 

The cry of a man, heartbroken.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Dry, twisted branches nicked and sliced through your skin as you ran. You paid them no mind as you continued to sprint faster, praying your absence had not caused irrevocable harm. Praying that everything could be made right. That in the face of such a lie,

 

There was no lie at all.

 

As your numbed feet thudded against the dirt and leaves, it was all you could to not to go blind from the thoughts of him continuing to fill your mind. Every feeling. Every emotion. Every memory. They were all coming back now, in a wave seeking to drown you in your own epiphical radiance.

 

Every kiss…

 

The ones given to keep you alive. The ones that continued to give you life even as your body healed.

 

Every touch…

 

The ones protecting you from harm. The ones instructing you how to protect yourself.

 

Every whisper…

 

The ones uttered hoping no one would hear. The ones spoken with enough passion they might as well have been shouted from the rooftops.

 

Your lungs were screaming for breath, your joints begging for release as you relentless charged through the wilderness like a woman possessed.

 

Every kiss, every touch, every whisper.

 

All of them. Everything. All of it was  _his_.

 

All of it had been the result of something you never believe was possible. Never believed was capable between two beings of equal grace and destruction.

 

It was the result of true love.

 

At the moment when you thought you would pass out from the pain, from visible exhaustion, you broke through the forest.

 

You saw him there, several hundred feet away, hunched over the ground in defeat.

 

Descending down the hill with newfound resolution, you mustered up every ounce of strength left within your lungs to yell the name of the one who had forever changed your life. The one who had held your every emotion captive. The one who had given you the life you’d always wanted, as a human.

 

“Chanyeol!”

 

At the sound of your voice, his head shot up like a man come back from the dead. Even from this far away, you could see him stagger to his feet, his red hair a beacon amongst the sky of the rising dawn. He could barely believe what was right before his eyes, though it took mere seconds before he took off in your direction, quickly closing the distance between you.

 

It was only a handful of seconds more before your body collided into his.

 

Chanyeol caught you within his arms, lifting you off the ground with hands at your waist, spinning you in a circle before enrapturing you into his warm chest. His breath was labored, hot against your skin as he buried his head into the crook of your neck.

 

“I thought I would never see you again.” He whispered, his tone ghosting that of the man he was centuries ago.

 

“The bond was broken, Chanyeol.” You breathed, “It never existed in the first place.”

 

Chanyeol broke away to meet your gaze with wide eyes. “How could I have been so blind…”

 

You cupped his cheek as he turned to look away from you. “We both were.” You smiled, wiping away a tear that had fallen a long time ago. “What’s important now is that there’s nothing in the way, now. Nothing to keep us apart.”

 

Chanyeol shook his head.

 

“I love you too much to keep you here, (y/n).” He half-smiled. “You deserve a life away from this hardship, from this hell.”

 

You laughed softly. “Don’t you understand?”

 

Chanyeol’s head tilted in confusion.

 

“My place is  _here_. I’m not leaving, Chanyeol.” You smiled. “I’m never leaving you. Not when I know every sense of yearning I’ve felt was so genuine.”

 

He pressed his forehead against your own, closing his eyes as he spoke.

 

“The heavens surely would curse your decision to stay with such a hideous monster.”

 

“Heavens be damned,” You hummed, “I’ve gone through too much to let them decide my fate any longer. I’ll live the life I want, loving the man I want.”

 

Chanyeol’s amber gaze burned into yours, a spark of hope glimmering behind them.

 

“Even if that man was the devil himself?”

 

Without any further hesitation, any thought of what fate had in store, you pulled his face to yours, pressing your lips fully into his own in a passionate kiss. Chanyeol’s arms instantly found purchase against your waist, pulling you into a hug as he brought his hands up to your shoulders. Tilting your head, you deepened the kiss, allowing every ounce of destiny that had been withheld from the two of you to be freed, sealing your fates together as one for eternity.

 

You pulled away only when the need for oxygen became too great.

 

“Even so.”

 

You smiled, bringing your other hand up to cup his face.

 

You would always be his.

 

He would always be yours.

 

**“I’ll just have to play devil’s advocate.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you. Genuinely. To everyone who has been reading this series for its year-long run, I can’t give you enough gratitude. Countless people have supported this series, and me, regardless of late updates and writers block. I don’t understand how I got so lucky to be a writer with the best support group imaginable. DA has not only survived, but thrived thanks to you guys. In raising my glass, here’s to you.
> 
> ~Nunchi

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr too [@nunchiwrites](https://nunchiwrites.tumblr.com)!!


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